VCT Stage 1 - Challengers EMEA Playoffs: G2, Fnatic & Team Liquid progress

Mar 30, 2022

While initially FunPlus Phoenix were pegged to progress to Reykjavík as EMEA’s first seed, unforeseen circumstances have left the org unable to field a full team for the competition. Replaced by fourth place runners up, Team Liquid, we bid a fond farewell to this fearsome squad.

If you missed any of the action, or quite simply want to relive this amazing weekend, here’s our recap of everything that went down during the VCT Stage 1 Challengers playoffs.

VCT Stage 1 - Challengers EMEA: Final placements

* G2 Esports, Fnatic, and Team Liquid will progress to Masters.

** BIG and SuperMassive Blaze will now take part in the VCT Challengers Promotion Tournament.

The clash of EMEA’s titans

It goes without saying that the entire competition was stacked from the get go, with some of esports’ most iconic organisations duking it out for one of those three Masters slots. Joined by current VCT Champions, Acend, and CIS powerhouse, M3 Champions, the playoffs were a star-studded affair.

Leading the pack were a flawless Fnatic and a new and improved FPX. While both squads took down their first opponents in M3C and Team Liquid respectively, FPX handed Fnatic a catastrophic loss following their dominant run. Absolutely obliterating the squad on Split with an insane 13 - 0 scoreline, things got more intense on Haven, but still ended with an FPX victory.

G2 had a longer run to the finale, demolishing the likes of Team Liquid and M3C in the Lower Bracket. Meeting Fnatic following their FPX faceoff, the squad didn’t drop a game thanks to the combined talents of Žygimantas ‘nukkye’ Chmieliauskas (who was even caught smiling on Ascent) and Óscar Cañellas ‘mixwell’ Colocho, whose lethal Chamber proved to much for the boys in black and orange.

While Fnatic still secured their spot at Masters, the race for the Challengers Stage 1 crown was whittled down to two of esports’ long-time rivals; G2 Esports and FPX. As titans clashed once more, the series ended 3 - 1 in favor of FPX due to some insane plays by relative newcomer Dmitry ‘SUYGETSU’ Ilyushin. Taking Sentinels Killjoy and Cypher out for a spin, and pushing toxic Controller, Viper, to her limits, the nineteen-year-old has proven himself a force to be reckoned with – especially when his back is against the wall.

Challengers EMEA Stage 1: Vods

If you missed out on any of the action, you can check out vods of the event on https://valorantesports.com/vo...!