NRG upset MOUZ 2-1 to climb 18 VRS places at StarSeries Fall 2026

NRG defeated world number two MOUZ 2-1 in the opening round of StarLadder StarSeries Fall 2026, advancing to the upper-bracket semi-final while sending the Europeans into the lower bracket.

NRG opened on Cache, their own pick, closing out an 11-6 first half before holding on for a 13-11 win as MOUZ pushed for a T-side comeback that fell just short. MOUZ responded decisively on Inferno, running out 13-5 winners behind a strong T-side from Lotan "Spinx" Giladi.

The decider on Dust2 went NRG's way. Nick "nitr0" Cannella went 13-6 on the T-side to help his side open an 8-4 half-time lead before closing out the map 13-10. Before the match, nitr0 said, "Any win here for us would be huge."

The victory carried significant weight in the Valve Regional Standings, worth 129 points and lifting NRG 18 places to 33rd in the global VRS rankings. In the Americas regional standings, NRG leapfrogged paiN and DENDELE to sit seventh, moving off the Major bubble spot for now.

For MOUZ, the drop into the lower bracket means a single further defeat would end their run at the event. NRG progress to the upper-bracket semi-final, where they will face the winner of Natus Vincere against Aurora, a match scheduled for 11:00am the following day.