Fans from the EMEA region were thrilled and excited at the VALORANT Champions 2025, as both Fnatic and Team Heretics advanced to the Playoffs after winning their respective group matches. With these wins, Team Heretics and Fnatic now join Paper Rex and NRG as the first four teams confirmed for the Playoffs.
Team Heretics dominate T1
Team Heretics kept their strong run going with a 2-0 victory over Pacific’s T1. The first map, Lotus, started well for T1, but Heretics quickly took control by slowing down their opponents and shutting down attacks with solid defensive plays. They ended the map 13-10, with Enes ‘RieNs’ Ecirli sealing the win with a clutch finish. Mert ‘Wo0t’ Alkan also impressed the fans with his elite performance.
In the second map, Sunset, T1 looked sharper at the start, but their readable attacks allowed Heretics to adapt and take the upper hand. Even with intense moments from Kim ‘Meteor’ Tae-oh, T1 could not keep up, and Heretics closed out the map 13-11 to secure the series.
Fnatic stage a comeback against MIBR
Even though Team Heretics faced a rather manageable win, Fnatic faced a tougher fight in their matchup against MIBR. The Brazilian team dominated the first map, Bind, winning 13-5 after controlling the game’s pace and catching Fnatic off guard.
However, Fnatic bounced back on the second map, Abyss. Led by captain Jake “Boaster” Howlett, Fnatic’s attack was nearly perfect. Their strong executes and Boaster’s Operator plays allowed them to close out Abyss 13-7 and level the series.
Everything came down to the final map, Haven. Fnatic built a strong lead early on thanks to smart defensive setups that limited MIBR’s options. While MIBR tried to rally in the second half, Fnatic’s Timofey ‘Chronicle’ Khromov delivered a key clutch play to secure a 13-10 victory.
What’s next for T1 and MIBR
Despite their losses, T1 and MIBR are still in the tournament but must win their deciding matches on September 22 to advance. T1 will face either G2 Esports or Dragon Ranger Gaming, while MIBR will go up against the winner of Bilibili Gaming versus RRQ.
Careful planning, great players, and a bit of luck are all factors that determine the outcome of any matchup. One side will always have more of either element and end up dominating with a decisive lead. The fun starts when both sides have equal strengths, leading to an exciting clash where every over counts down to a thrilling finish.
These are the matches that go down in history, where the winner is decided by a nail-biting final over finishes. Learn about five of the top stories cemented in history as some of the most unforgettable examples right here:
England vs Australia (2005 Ashes)
The second Test of the 2005 Ashes at Edgbaston produced one of the most dramatic finishes in cricket history. England had set Australia 282 to win, and the match came down to the final over on 6 August 2005. The crowd held its breath as Australia pushed for a narrow victory, needing just a few runs with only one wicket left.
England’s Andrew Flintoff had already made his mark with both bat and ball, while Simon Jones and Steve Harmison also played vital roles earlier in the match. In the tense final moments, it was Michael Kasprowicz and Brett Lee who fought bravely for Australia, edging closer with each run. Kasprowicz battled bravely, nearly completing a famous chase.
Steve Harmison trapped Kasprowicz with a short delivery that was caught by Geraint Jones. England won by two runs, one of the narrowest margins in Test history, a victory that evened the series and shifted momentum in what became one of cricket’s greatest contests.
India vs Pakistan (2007 ICC World Twenty20)
The final of the 2007 ICC World Twenty20 in Johannesburg on 24 September delivered a finish worthy of cricket’s fiercest rivalry. India set Pakistan 158 to win, but the contest boiled down to a nail-biting last over that stunned the packed stadium. India’s innings had been anchored by Gautam Gambhir, who struck 75, while Rohit Sharma provided a late flourish.
Pakistan fought back with Misbah-ul-Haq at the crease, bringing the target down to just 13 runs needed off the final over. He hit a six off Joginder Sharma and looked set to finish the match. India claimed a five-run victory in one of the most tense finals ever played.
It was the first ICC World Twenty20 title for India, remembered for its extraordinary climax and the rise of a new generation. Their victory led to a strong, dedicated following that laid the foundation for the country’s domestic cricket league, which is now an undisputed giant in the sport.
Sri Lanka vs India (2014 ICC World Twenty20)
The 2014 ICC World Twenty20 final in Dhaka on 6 April ended with Sri Lanka finally lifting a long-awaited trophy. Chasing 131 to beat India, the match concluded with a calm but decisive finish in the final overs as Sri Lanka’s experienced campaigners sealed the win.
India’s batting had been built on Virat Kohli’s 77, but the lack of late acceleration left Sri Lanka a reachable target. Lasith Malinga and Nuwan Kulasekara had earlier restricted India with the ball, ensuring the contest would remain balanced. Kumar Sangakkara led the chase in his final T20 international, partnering with Thisara Perera.
Sangakkara finished unbeaten on 52, while Perera struck crucial blows to chase down the target in the 18th over. Sri Lanka triumphed by six wickets, finishing 134 for 4, ending a streak of four previous ICC final losses.
England vs New Zealand (2019 Cricket World Cup)
The 2019 ICC Cricket World Cup final at Lord’s on 14 July had both teams tied twice, once in regular play and again in the super over. Ben Stokes led Team England, anchoring the innings with 84 not out under immense pressure.
Jos Buttler also played a vital role, while Chris Woakes and Jofra Archer kept England in the game with the ball. New Zealand had Kane Williamson and Martin Guptill carry the weight of expectation, while Jimmy Neesham nearly won it for New Zealand in the super over.
In the end, England were crowned champions based on the boundary count after both teams scored 15 in the super over, making it the national team’s first-ever World Cup triumph. The match is still regarded as the most dramatic one-day international in cricket history, not just for English and New Zealanders, but worldwide.
Barbados Tridents vs Guyana Amazon Warriors (2019 CPL)
The 2019 Caribbean Premier League final at Brian Lara Academy on 12 October ended Guyana Amazon Warriors’ unbeaten campaign. Barbados Tridents, who had been written off earlier in the tournament, produced a defiant finish to claim their second Caribbean Premier League (CPL) title.
The Tridents’ innings revolved around Jonathan Carter, who struck a rapid 50 not out from 26 balls. Ashley Nurse and Raymon Reifer provided support, while Jason Holder’s leadership shaped the bowling plan. For the Warriors, Brandon King’s 43 was the highlight, though the chase faltered against disciplined bowling from Reifer, Harry Gurney and Nurse.
Barbados Tridents posted 171/6 and then restricted Guyana Amazon Warriors to 144/9. It ended Guyana’s 11-match winning streak and marked their fifth loss in the CPL final.
Final over finishes: Anything can happen at the last second
Final overs are the hardest test of a cricketer’s skill and composure. Each delivery determines the result, shifts momentum, and ultimately decides the winner. These moments show the balance between clear decision-making and strength, where bowlers must defend narrow leads and batters push for difficult runs.
Cricket is built on uncertainty, and no stage shows this more clearly than the last over. Every ball matters until the end, and no side is safe until the final delivery. From record chases to sudden losses, these finishes explain why the sport continues to attract strong attention worldwide.
Atlético Madrid boss Diego Simeone expressed his regret over clashing with Liverpool fans following their Champions League opener at Anfield. The game ended in a 3-2 win for the hosts, with Virgil van Dijk scoring a 92nd-minute winner.
Simeone was provoked by a small number of supporters after the late goal. He complained to the fourth official and had to be escorted away before being sent off. Speaking after the match, he said, ‘Firstly, I regret the part I played. It’s clear we are in a position where we do not have the right to react, and it is not good when we react.’
‘My reaction isn’t justifiable, but do you know what it’s like to be insulted for 90 minutes?’ he added, referring to the insults he received throughout the game.
The match saw Liverpool take a 2-0 lead inside the opening six minutes through Andy Robertson and Mohamed Salah, before Marcos Llorente scored twice to level for Atlético. Van Dijk’s header in stoppage time secured the win for the reigning Premier League champions.
The Chiliz Group had taken a major step by buying 51% of OG Esports, a top esports team. This deal gives Chiliz control and sets the stage for new growth. OG’s co-founders, Johan ‘N0tail’ Sundstein and Sébastien ‘Ceb’ Debs, will now focus on building the team’s strength in matches. Meanwhile, Xavier Oswald takes over as the new CEO to lead the organisation forward.
Chiliz runs a sports blockchain platform that enables fans to connect with teams through fan tokens. These tokens give fans perks like voting on team gear and special events. OG was the first esports team to launch fan tokens on Socios.com back in 2020. Since then, OG’s fan token has grown in value and surpassed the $100 million market cap.
This success helped Chiliz improve its fan token technology and made OG a key example of how these can boost fan engagement and create real value.
South Africa still has one of the most talent-laden cricketing countries in the world. The country has produced amazing players over the years, including Jacques Kallis. Australian cricket legend Ricky Ponting sees Kallis as an underrated player in the sport’s history.
While Kallis is a strong name in cricket history, he is often overlooked as one of the best players ever. Here are the reasons why he deserves to get more respect:
Superb batting credentials
Kallis stands tall as one of cricket’s greatest batsmen with an impressive record. He amassed over 13,000 runs in Test cricket, which makes him one of the best run-getters in the game’s history. That is the same with one-day internationals (ODIs), where he scored over 11,500 runs.
That proved he was a remarkably versatile player who was consistent across cricket formats. Few players have maintained balanced production across formats. Across the many pitches and formats, Kallis was excellent and made sure he was one of the most reliable batsmen of his generation.
Kallis was so good that he earned Ponting’s respect, even calling him the best cricketer ever. He said, ‘Jacques Kallis is the full stop for me. Thirteen thousand runs – 44 or 45 Test centuries and 300 wickets. He has had an amazing career. You can take 300 Test wickets, and you can score 45 Test centuries but to do both feats at the same time is amazing. Jacques has done both’.
All-round skills with bowling and fielding
Beyond the batting, Kallis was a talented all-rounder with contributions that were often decisive. He claimed over 250 wickets in Tests, as he operated well as a fourth seamer with the ability to swing the ball and maintain the pressure on the rival batsmen.
His bowling average highlighted his value, as he was more than a part-time option on that side of the game. Kallis could turn the match when called upon, as he completed many sharp catches, proving his all-around brilliance.
The combination of batting, bowling, and fielding made sure that South Africa was a formidable force. They had a complete cricketer in their ranks, and Kallis proved he was among the best.
Kallis remains unappreciated
Despite all the staggering achievements, Kallis is often overlooked in discussions about the greatest players in cricket’s history. With names like Ricky Ponting, Brian Lara, and Sachin Tendulkar becoming popular on a global scale, Kallis has become forgotten.
He was not the flashiest player, as he had a calm and workhorse-like approach. However, his contributions to South African cricket remain, and he proved he is deserving of more recognition than he has received over the years after he retired in 2014.
Natus Vincere (NAVI) has entered the Marvel Rivals scene with a strong debut roster. The esports club signed the former Rad EU squad from Rad Esports, who had just won the Marvel Rivals Ignite Mid-Season Finals last August.
The team is set to compete under the NAVI banner in the coming Ignite Stage 2 EMEA. The lineup features seven skilled players:
Nikolai ‘Naga’ Dereli
Maxwell ‘fate’ Currie
Rasmus ‘Raajaro’ Rosvall
Mark ‘Lv1Crook’ Leveleki
Oliver ‘TrqstMe’ Pöhler
Majd ‘Crysis’ Gerges
Jurica ‘Jur3ky’ Risek
Together, they proved their strength by lifting the trophy in Guangzhou, China. NAVI now aims to repeat that success under their banner.
Adam ‘Meliø’ Jensen, who was a part of the roster, did not join NAVI and has signed with Citadel Gaming. His exit, though, still left the rest of the group intact as they prepared to make their mark on the next stage of play.
Tottenham began their Champions League campaign with a tight 1-0 win against Villarreal at home. In the fourth minute, Lucas Bergvall’s early cross forced Villarreal goalkeeper Luiz Junior to push the ball into his own net. That early goal was Tottenham’s fastest ever in the Champions League.
The home crowd expected more goals after the early strike. Tottenham pressed forward in the first half, but couldn’t secure a second goal. After the break, Villarreal stepped up and put Spurs under more pressure.
Late in the match, Micky van de Ven fouled Georges Mikautadze outside the box, and VAR ruled it a free-kick. The defender saw a yellow card, but the hosts held firm. Villarreal finished without a shot on target, showing Spurs’ defensive focus.
It was the first Champions League game for coach Thomas Frank, who earned three points despite his team’s struggles in attack. Midfielder Lucas Bergvall praised the coach and noted the team’s stronger defence.
Jacob Bethell will captain England in the T20 series against Ireland, becoming the youngest man to lead the side at 21 years old. He stepped in with Harry Brook rested, taking charge in the first of three matches in Malahide, just north of Dublin. The role marks a quick rise for Bethell, who only made his England debut last year in September.
Bethell said he was surprised when Brendon McCullum called to tell him he would be the skipper. He noted that no clear reason was given, but he believes it shows trust from the staff. He also said he looks forward to handling the pressure of fast-paced games and hopes to guide the squad with calm, effective man-management.
Furthermore, he has experience as captain of the England Under-19s and scored his first professional century last month. Ireland, missing Josh Little through injury, still poses threats with Harry Tector and Paul Stirling. The series begins on Wednesday, September 17.
Team Falcons rose as the new kings of Dota 2 after outlasting Xtreme Gaming 3-2 in a fierce Grand Final at The International (TI) 2025 in Hamburg, Germany. The win not only secured the $1.15 million first-place prize from the $2.7 million pool, but also marked coach Kurtis ‘Aui_2000’ Ling as the first to claim the Aegis of Champions three times.
Aui_2000’s journey spans ten years of excellence. He first held the Aegis with Evil Geniuses in 2015, then as coach of Tundra Esports in 2022, before his third victory with Falcons. This record run seals him as one of the most famed names in Dota 2’s history.
The Falcons’ path to glory was far from smooth. They opened the playoffs with a 2-0 win over Team Tidebound before pulling off bold reverse sweeps against BetBoom Team and PARIVISION. In the Grand Final, down 2-1, they rallied to take the last two games, drawing a peak of 1.77 million viewers, making it the third-highest in TI history.
The win also gave Oliver ‘skiter’ Lepko and Jingjun ‘Sneyking’ Wu their second title, while also casting light on the key work of the Falcons’ full support crew.
Real Madrid face Marseille in the opening Champions League match of the season, with England midfielder Jude Bellingham back in the squad after shoulder surgery. The 22-year-old, sidelined since the FIFA Club World Cup, first sustained the injury in 2023 against Rayo Vallecano. He resumed full training last week.
In 2023, Bellingham joined Madrid from Dortmund for £115m. In his first season, he scored 23 goals in 43 games and won both La Liga and the Champions League. Last season, he scored 15 goals in 58 matches, but Madrid lost the league to Barcelona and were knocked out of the Champions League in the quarter-finals by Arsenal.
Trent Alexander-Arnold is also in the squad. Coach Xabi Alonso praised Dani Carvajal, saying, ‘He was still recovering while we were in the United States, but now he’s fit enough to play. You can see what a positive impact he has on everyone around him.’
