VCT Champions Playoffs started with quite a bang, packed with funny moments and comebacks which no one expected. The first Playoffs matches increased the hype for the tournament with Loud defeating Leviatan 2-0, while XSET and OpTic bamboozled their European counterparts.
Fnatic is Europe’s must-watch team according to most fans, and their path to Playoffs is blocked by either FPX or XSET moving forward.
Based on our bracket assessment, we are likely seeing a FNC vs XSET rematch in the Lower Bracket semifinal.
XSET had quite a run in this tournament. Not considered favorites to win, not fielding any of the best Valorant players, they still prove why they are currently the second-best team in NA and likely a top five team globally.
The team has gone all guns blazing this tournament during their group stages. Their first game was against XERXIA Esports which ended in a 2-0 win for XSET. Both games were close, with both maps ending 13-11 and 13-10 respectively. We saw strong showing by zekken in both the games.
The second game in their group stage was the one with all the noise, as XSET had to face the current VCT Masters Winners in FunPlusPhoenix. While most had anticipated this game to take place in the qualifier as both teams were the favourite in their group. As such when this game ended 2-1 in the favour of XSET it was quite the upset. Many didn’t expect XSET to pull off such a good showing. The maps ended with score of 13-7, 4-13, and 15-3 to XSET.
XSET qualified for the Playoff stages of the tournament by beating the reigning champions. Due to their play style being more methodical and not overly based on pure aggression. Into Playoffs they quickly disposed off Fnatic (13-8, 13-11), and are set to meet OpTic for the Upper Bracket Final slot.
Fnatic has been playing with their unique tactics and strategies throughout the event with mixed success. During the group stages of the tournament, they faced off against FURIA and 100T and won that game 2-1 (9-13,13-7,13-11) and 0-2, in what felt like utterly grinding they way into Playoffs.
Against 100 Thieves for the first qualifier in their group the scoreline ended 13-5 and 13-7, with Derke having quite a performance during the game. He finished off the two maps on 38/26/7 while having a headshot accuracy of 40%.
We mentioned how outgunned FNC were going into Playoffs against XSET. They had to eliminate Team Liquid to stay in the event, and now await DRX or LOUD to move forward.
Interestingly enough, I feel FNC is only scaling up and will win and get to play in the following match against XSET/FPX next.
All games look to be ones that will go down to the wire as it’s even tough for bookies to have a favorite. Fnatic versus XSET (if it happens in Lower Bracket) will have strange Valorant odds parity and you can likely turn a quick buck there. There is a high chance we get to see the a lot of Fracture and Pearl this week. This definitely means total round scores will be higher then usual.
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