Fast forward to today, and EDG has made history by winning VALORANT Champions 2024, defeating Team Heretics 3-2 in a thrilling grand final, solidifying their place as the first global champions from China.

THE 2024 WORLD CHAMPIONS OF VALORANT! #VALORANTChampions pic.twitter.com/VwcuXpB3uL

— VALORANT Champions Tour (@ValorantEsports) August 25, 2024

The grand final was an epic showdown, featuring five intense maps: Haven, Sunset, Lotus, Bind, and Abyss.

As upper bracket finalists, EDG used their double map ban to remove Ascent and Icebox.

The series began with Heretics taking Haven 13-6, but EDG swiftly responded by dominating Sunset 13-4 and winning Lotus 13-9.

Heretics, however, fought back on Bind, securing a narrow 13-11 victory to push the series to the final map.

In the end, EDG triumphed on Abyss 13-9, clinching the championship.

Both teams had experienced setbacks at VCT Masters Madrid and heartbreak at Masters Shanghai but returned stronger, blazing through Seoul to reach the grand final.

For EDG, this victory was about more than just winning��it was about breaking barriers for China and claiming their first international trophy after an undefeated playoff run.

The match was filled with standout performances.

EDG’s Zheng “ZmjjKK” Yongkang broke the VCT best-of-five series kill record with 111 kills, 26 of which were first kills, earning him the MVP title.

MVP Performance from @zmjjkk pic.twitter.com/2NmJ4si2yz

— VALORANT Champions Tour (@ValorantEsports) August 25, 2024

His remarkable plays, including clutch Guardian kills in the final map, were crucial in securing EDG’s victory.

Wan “CHICHOO” Shunzhi, Zhang “Smoggy” Zhao, and rookie Hsieh “S1Mon” Meng-hsun also delivered stellar performances, with CHICHOO’s heroics on Lotus and S1Mon’s crucial plays on Abyss standing out.

Team Heretics, despite their loss, showcased incredible skill and determination, pushing EDG to their limits.

Players like Dominykas “MiniBoo” Luka?evi?ius and Benjy “benjyfishy” David Fish delivered key moments, particularly on Bind, where they were nearly forced into overtime.

This victory is monumental for EDG and the entire Chinese VALORANT scene.

Not only did they become the first Chinese team to win an international tournament, but they also claimed the Champions trophy in the inaugural season of VCT China as an official partner league.

As ZmjjKK declared after the win, “This is just the beginning,” hinting at China’s future dominance in the VALORANT scene.

EDward Gaming’s triumph at VALORANT Champions 2024 will be remembered as one of the most competitive and historic finals, a testament to their resilience, skill, and the rise of Chinese esports on the global stage.

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This victory marks their fourth grand final appearance of the year, having previously reached the finals in Shanghai and EMEA Stage 1.

LOS NI?OS GET THEIR REVENGE!

TEAM HERETICS DEFEATS LEV AND CLAIMS THEIR SPOT IN THE GRAND FINALS! #VALORANTChampions #VamosHeretics pic.twitter.com/T0qVKFFBZq

— VALORANT Champions Tour (@ValorantEsports) August 24, 2024

The best-of-five series was fought on Icebox, Sunset, Abyss, and Lotus, with Icebox and Abyss being Leviat��n’s picks, and Sunset and Lotus chosen by Team Heretics.

Heretics started strong, winning Icebox 13-7 despite Leviat��n’s confidence on this map, which had been a cornerstone of their recent success.

Dominykas “Miniboo” Luka?evi?ius led the charge for Heretics with 19 kills, setting the tone for the series.

Sunset was a nail-biter, going into overtime after Leviat��n clawed their way back from an 8-4 deficit.

Heretics, however, managed to secure the map 15�C13, thanks to standout performances from Miniboo and Enes “RieNs” Ecirli, who contributed 22 and 25 kills, respectively.

Leviat��n found some redemption on Abyss, where they executed a strong defensive strategy to win 13-9, showcasing their resilience.

Roberto “Mazino” Francisco Rivas Bugue?o’s exceptional utility usage and Corbin “C0M” Daniel Lee’s flanks were key in this map, giving Leviat��n hope for a reverse sweep.

However, Lotus proved to be the decisive map.

Heretics delivered a crushing 13-3 victory, dominating the first half with an 11-1 scoreline.

RieNs once again shone, finishing with a series-high 1.22 rating and 68 kills overall, further bolstering his case for rookie of the year.

Leviat��n’s campaign ended in third place, falling short of the grand finals despite their strong performances throughout the year.

Their hopes of a second Champions title for Erick “aspas” Santos and C0M were dashed, but they can take pride in being the highest-placed team from the Americas region.

For Team Heretics, this victory sets up a rematch with EDward Gaming in the grand final.

The last time these two teams met was in the playoffs of Masters Shanghai, where Heretics secured a 2-0 victory.

Sunday’s grand final, set to take place at INSPIRE Arena at 4pm KST, will determine whether Heretics can finally claim a title after three runner-up finishes this year.

Heretics’ coach, Neil “neilzinho” Finlay, acknowledges the challenge ahead, noting that EDward Gaming has improved significantly since their last encounter.

As both teams prepare for the ultimate showdown, the stage is set for an epic conclusion to 2024 VALORANT season.

A must-watch series!

See you soon for the Grand Finals of #VALORANTChampions Seoul! pic.twitter.com/XgVKufvigN

— VALORANT Champions Tour (@ValorantEsports) August 24, 2024

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This victory sent the Americas top seed down to the lower bracket final.

THE VCT CN KINGS ARE MOVING ON!

EDWARD GAMING IS HEADED TO THEIR FIRST GRAND FINALS IN INTERNATIONAL COMPETITION! #VALORANTChampions pic.twitter.com/yEQFJbItxF

— VALORANT Champions Tour (@ValorantEsports) August 23, 2024

The series kicked off on Icebox, a map that LEVIAT��N had favoured, having won their last three matches on it, all in overtime.

LEVIAT��N, starting on defence, dominated the first half, taking nine rounds, largely thanks to Roberto “Mazino” Francisco Rivas Bugue?o��s strong performance on Harbor.

Despite EDG’s efforts, particularly in planting the spike seven times, they only secured one round in the first half.

However, EDG mounted a strong comeback in the second half, winning six consecutive rounds.

The teams were neck and neck until LEVIAT��N finally clinched a 16-14 victory in triple overtime, maintaining their unbeaten streak on Icebox.

EDG responded on their map pick, Lotus, with a dominant performance.

Starting on attack, they quickly established control, finishing the half with an 8-4 lead.

The second half saw more of the same, with EDG securing a 13-4 victory.

Zheng “ZmjjKK” Yongkang, EDG��s star player, showcased his skills with Neon, while Zhang “Smoggy” Zhao led the server with 19 kills.

The final map, Abyss, was a nail-biter.

The first half ended in a 6-6 tie, and both teams fought fiercely in the second half.

EDG trailed 10-7 before calling their final timeout, after which they managed to tie the game at 11-11.

In the end, EDG closed out the map 13-11, earning their place in the grand finals, marking the first time a Chinese team has reached an international VALORANT grand final.

LEVIAT��N will now face the winner of the lower final between Team Heretics and Sentinels.

Team Heretics advanced to the lower finals by defeating Sentinels 2-1 in their elimination match at the INSPIRE Arena.

LOS NI?OS KEEP THEIR #VALORANTChampions DREAMS ALIVE IN SEOUL!

TEAM HERETICS TAKE DOWN SEN CITY! #VamosHeretics pic.twitter.com/k6EXebk6Wk

— VALORANT Champions Tour (@ValorantEsports) August 23, 2024

In the Heretics and Sentinels match, Sentinels started strong on Haven, with Tyson “TenZ” Van Ngo leading the charge with 29 kills, securing a 13-8 victory.

Heretics bounced back on Icebox, winning 13-9 after a strong second half led by Ri?ardas “Boo” Luka?evi?ius.

The deciding map, Abyss, saw Heretics dominate with an 8-4 lead at halftime, eventually closing out the map 13-7.

Enes “RieNs” Ecirli and Dominykas “MiniBoo” Luka?evi?ius played crucial roles in securing Heretics�� victory and a spot in the lower finals against LEVIAT��N.

The lower final will determine who faces EDG in the grand final, with LEVIAT��N looking to avenge their earlier loss and Team Heretics aiming for a chance at the title.

The grand final is set for Sunday at 4pm KST.

VALORANT Champions lower final

• Leviatan (+100) vs Team Heretics (-138.89) @ 4pm KST

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Once again, EDward Gaming have exceeded expectations at the season-culminating event. Now guaranteed a top-three finish, the Chinese VALORANT team have looked solid with wins against FUT Esports, Paper Rex, Trace Esports, and Sentinels. Yet their most formidable challenge comes on Friday.

Leviatan were one of the favourites on the outright betting markets, and they have lived up to that tag. The VCT Americas champions had a few close calls in the group stage, but they have found more consistency as the tournament has progressed.

EDward Gaming are no pushovers, with a strong map pool, and are more than capable of putting up a fight against any VALORANT team. That might not be enough to surpass the surging Leviatan, but we can expect a close series.

Team Heretics and Sentinels made it to the VALORANT Champions 2024 lower-bracket semifinals with a few close calls. Heretics have dropped five maps over five series played, while Sentinels have let four slip.

However, both sides have put in solid performances, beating some of the tournament favourites. The North Americans, in particular, have exceeded expectations, proving how much damage an experienced lineup can do. Yet the best VALORANT betting sites still have Sentinels priced as outsiders for this series.

Team Heretics have a stronger win rate on Abyss, Lotus, and Haven, whereas Sentinels have proved more efficient on Split, Icebox, and Sunset. And as there is no significant difference in the players’ stats this tournament, another tight fixture is to be expected.

Depending on the map picks, Sentinels might be worth a look at plus money.

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This was the fourth international meeting between the two teams, with Sentinels leading the head-to-head record heading into the second round lower bracket clash.

The elimination match was played across Sunset, Bind, and Lotus.

Sentinels chose Sunset, Fnatic picked Bind, and Lotus served as the decider.

The opening map, Sunset, saw Fnatic take a commanding 8-4 lead at halftime, thanks to solid team play and superior post-plant setups.

However, Sentinels’ IGL, Mohamed “johnqt” Amine Ouarid, made pivotal mid-game adjustments, enabling a strong comeback.

They edged out Fnatic 13-11 on the back of johnqt’s standout performance, where he led the server with 23 kills.

Fnatic responded on Bind, their map pick, dominating their attack half to secure a 13-9 victory.

Their execution on the B site in Round 20 was particularly impressive, leaving Sentinels’ economy in shambles for the remainder of the map.

The decider on Lotus was a more one-sided affair, with Sentinels controlling both halves.

Their clean attack led to an 8-4 halftime lead, and they swiftly closed out the map 13-6.

Despite Fnatic’s attempts to mount a comeback, they couldn’t overcome Sentinels’ economic and strategic advantage.

Nikita “Derke” Sirmitev finished with the most kills in the series at 61, but it wasn’t enough to keep Fnatic’s Champions campaign alive.

Sentinels now advance to the lower bracket semifinals at INSPIRE Arena, where they will face Team Heretics, who stunned DRX in another intense elimination series.

THE LOWER BRACKET RUN IS ON FOR SEN CITY!

SENTINELS LOCK IN TOP 4 AT #VALORANTChampions SEOUL! pic.twitter.com/3QCr8mr0yF

— VALORANT Champions Tour (@ValorantEsports) August 18, 2024

Team Heretics vs. DRX was a clash of two teams undergoing roster turmoil throughout 2024.

Heretics entered Champions with momentum, despite their challenges, while DRX, on home soil, sought redemption.

The map veto slightly favoured Heretics, and the series began on Abyss, where DRX looked strong, winning 13-5 after a dominant defensive showing.

Heretics bounced back on Sunset, tying the series 1-1 with a commanding 13-5 victory of their own.

Their ability to suffocate DRX’s offence, combined with well-executed defensive strategies, set the stage for a thrilling decider on Icebox.

Icebox was a back-and-forth affair, but Heretics ultimately prevailed 13-10.

They capitalized on DRX’s weakened economy and used their ultimates effectively to secure the final rounds.

Heretics’ standout player, Dominykas “MiniBoo” Luka?evi?ius, topped the server in rating (1.30), kills (59), average combat score (260), and ADR (165), helping his team achieve a 2-1 victory and a top-four finish at their first Champions appearance.

TEAM HERETICS SURVIVES!

THEY ARE GOING TO THE INSPIRE AT #VALORANTChampions SEOUL! pic.twitter.com/HHy6nRYz41

— VALORANT Champions Tour (@ValorantEsports) August 18, 2024

Now, Heretics and Sentinels will face off in the lower semifinal.

Both teams have been Masters finalists this year, but only Sentinels have claimed an international title.

This rematch of their earlier clash at Masters sets the stage for a high-stakes showdown, with a spot in the lower bracket final on the line.

Meanwhile, DRX’s home tournament ended in disappointment, as they were eliminated in the top six, mirroring their previous Champions performance.

VALORANT Champions will continue on Friday, August 23, with EDward Gaming and Leviatan kicking off the day in the upper bracket final before Sentinels and Team Heretics play off for the right to take on the loser in the lower bracket final.

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This match marked the first-ever showdown between the two regional giants, both of whom had won their previous playoff matches with a 2-0 scoreline.

The winner would clinch their first top-three finish at a Champions event.

HISTORY FOR EDWARD GAMING!

THEY DEFEAT SENTINELS AND EARN THEIR HIGHEST PLACEMENT IN GLOBAL COMPETITION! #VALORANTChampions pic.twitter.com/yYLthQu7gK

— VALORANT Champions Tour (@ValorantEsports) August 17, 2024

EDG kicked off the series on Haven with a pistol-round win but quickly fell behind as Sentinels responded with a dominant seven-round streak.

Tyson “TenZ” Van Ngo spearheaded Sentinels’ attack with a stunning 17 kills in the first half, propelling his team to an 8-4 lead.

Although EDG showed signs of life, including a strong showing by Hsieh “S1mon” Meng-hsun, Sentinels closed out Haven 13�C9.

While both Zachary “zekken” Jude Patrone and Zheng “ZmjjKK” Yongkang recorded 23 kills, zekken��s 9-1 first blood record had a greater impact.

The momentum shifted on Lotus, where Sentinels took an early lead, but EDG clawed back to tie the half 6-6.

EDG gained control in the second half, leading 10-6 after securing the pistol and bonus rounds.

Although Sentinels fought back, EDG’s strong A-site defence helped them take the map 13�C9, forcing a decider on Sunset.

Sunset turned out to be the most lopsided map of the series, with EDG dominating the first half 10-2, focusing heavily on B post-plants.

They closed out the map 13-6, thanks to Wan “CHICHOO” Shunzhi��s impressive 23 kills, 333 ACS, and a 1.72 rating.

EDG��s victory secured them the first-ever top-three placement for a Chinese team at a global VALORANT event.

Sentinels now face FNATIC in the lower bracket in a rematch of their VCT Masters Reykjavik grand final.

LEVIAT��N CLAIMS THEIR SPOT IN THE UPPER BRACKET FINALS BY DEFEATING TEAM HERETICS! #VALORANTChampions pic.twitter.com/PdD6ddSutj

— VALORANT Champions Tour (@ValorantEsports) August 17, 2024

In the second upper semifinal, Americas’ top seed, LEVIAT��N, swept Team Heretics 2-0 to advance to the upper final against EDG.

LEVIAT��N started strong on Icebox with a 7-1 lead but had to fend off a fierce comeback from Heretics to win the map 15-13 in overtime.

On Lotus, Heretics led 8-4 at halftime, but LEVIAT��N stormed back, winning seven straight rounds to secure a 13-10 victory.

LEVIAT��N will face EDward Gaming in the upper final, while Team Heretics drops to the lower bracket to face DRX.

Sunday’s VALORANT Champions fixtures

• Sentinels (+110) vs Fnatic (-151.52) @ 5pm KST
• Team Heretics (-188.68) vs DRX (+137) @ 8pm KST

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The series, played on Icebox and Abyss, showcased Levi��tan’s dominance.

LEVIAT��N WINS THE AMERICAS REGIONAL BATTLE TO KICK OFF THEIR PLAYOFF RUN! #VALORANTChampions pic.twitter.com/zTizXvrVEx

— VALORANT Champions Tour (@ValorantEsports) August 15, 2024

Icebox, Levi��tan’s pick and one of their strongest maps this year, saw them clinch a nail-biting 16-14 win.

Entering the match with a 12-3 record on Icebox, Levi��t��n faced a challenge from G2, who had previously handed them two of those losses.

G2 started strong on Icebox with a zero-duelist composition, putting Jacob “icy” Lange on Gekko and Nathan “leaf” Orf on Killjoy.

Their in-game leader, Jacob “valyn” Batio, orchestrated an early 5-1 lead.

However, Levi��tan’s IGL, Francisco “kiNgg” Alberto Aravena, brought his team back into the game despite being detained by icy’s Gekko Thrash.

G2 managed to avoid the gun of Levi��t��n’s star player, Erick “aspas” Santos, who ended the map with just one Operator kill.

In a tense finish, Levi��t��n clinched the map 16-14.

On Abyss, G2’s map pick, Levi��tan took control from the start.

Their defence, led by Corbin “C0M” Daniel Lee and kiNgg, dominated, ending the half 8-4 in their favour.

Levi��tan won the pistol round on attack, and G2’s puzzling decision to abandon the map didn’t pay off, allowing Levi��tan to secure an 11-4 lead.

From there, they cruised to a 13-5 victory, sweeping the series 2-0.

Despite aspas having a quiet series, his teammates shone, guiding Levi��t��n to victory.

G2’s head coach, Josh “JoshRT” Lee, attributed their performance on Abyss to the close loss on Icebox, stating, “We lost a close one. I could tell the nerves were a little high.”

No G2 player finished with a positive K/D on Abyss.

Ian “tex” Botsch, a former teammate of many G2 players, expressed satisfaction with the win, noting the friendly rivalry with his old team.

C0M led the server with 42 kills and a massive 1.42 rating across the series.

G2’s leaf followed with 38 kills, but it wasn’t enough to stop Levi��tan.

TEAM HERETICS COME OUT ON TOP IN THE EMEA REGIONAL SHOWDOWN! #VALORANTChampions #VamosHeretics pic.twitter.com/MILuGmnBBL

— VALORANT Champions Tour (@ValorantEsports) August 15, 2024

Team Heretics, in a surprising result, defeated FNATIC 2-0 in the VALORANT Champions 2024 playoffs, setting up a clash with Levi��tan in the next round.

Heretics and FNATIC had faced each other four times in 2024 before this Champions clash, with Heretics winning twice.

Fnatic picked Lotus for the first map of the series; however, it backfired in the worst way possible.

Mert “WoOt” Alkan dominated for the Heretics, recording a massive rating of 1.80, 280 average combat score (ACS), and 188 ADR in their 13-3 demolition.

Heretics continued their dominance on Abyss, defeating FNATIC 14-12 in overtime.

Although Heretics won the second map in overtime, only Enes “RieNs” Ecirli finished with a positive kill/death difference (+9) and rating over 1.0 (1.36), with Nikita “Derke” Sirmitev topping the server with a 1.38 rating and 28 kills.

RieNs and Benjy “benjyfishy” David Fish were instrumental in Heretics’ win, which marked their third victory at Champions 2024.

With this win, Team Heretics advanced to play Levi��tan, while FNATIC dropped to the lower bracket to face G2 in an elimination match.

The winner of Levi��tan vs. Team Heretics will secure a top-three finish at VALORANT Champions 2024.

Friday’s VALORANT Champions fixtures

• DRX (-303.03) vs Trace Esports (+225) @ 5pm KST
• G2 Esports (-138.89) vs Fnatic (+100) @ 8pm KST

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G2 Esports and Leviatan will face off for the fifth time this VALORANT Champions Tour (VCT) season and the first time since Americas Stage 2 when Leviatan won 3-1. However, according to the betting odds, Leviatan will have a tougher time surpassing their regional rivals on Thursday.

The VCT Americas runners-up have looked very good this tournament, beating Paper Rex and EDward Gaming. In contrast, Leviatan managed a second-place finish in Group C with wins against Talon Esports and Team Vitality.

As with most regional derbies, head-to-head records hold a bit more weight than the teams’ form, but we have to show G2 Esports some respect for their past showings. This should be a close match.

Fnatic and Team Heretics know each other very well, as they have faced off three times this season. Their meeting, however, was the VCT 2024 EMEA Stage 1 finals, when Fnatic bested the VCT 2024 Masters Shanghai runners-up 3-2. Before that, Heretics won twice, both in two maps.

Comparing season-long results, Heretics are the better team and looked stronger during the VALORANT Champions 2024 group stage. This explains why VALORANT betting sites have them priced as favourites. At the same time, Heretics’ only big victory came against Gen.G, who were not in the best shape.

It is hard to find a good reason to fade Fnatic, mainly due to their experience, high ceiling, and strong coaching staff, which makes them a scary team to face when given time to prepare. At even money, it is hard to look past Europe’s No.1 seed.

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In a rematch from VALORANT Champions Tour Masters Shanghai, Team Heretics got their revenge over their Korean opponent, as they claimed a tough 2-1 (11-13, 13-11, 13-10) series win to open the second week of competition.

Los Ni?os win the Masters Shanghai Finals rematch and move on to the Playoffs Stage! #VALORANTChampions #VamosHeretics pic.twitter.com/MmfaK1cjkS

— VALORANT Champions Tour (@ValorantEsports) August 6, 2024

Abyss was Team Heretics’s pick and a new addition to the VALORANT map pool.

Gen.G, who typically bans Abyss, showed resilience with a Breeze-like composition.

The match saw a closely contested first half, with Gen.G leading 7-5.

Off the back of a strong performance from Kim “Meteor” Tae-o (28 kills on Yoru), Gen.G narrowly secured the map after effective timeout strategies by their coaches.

Lotus, Gen.G’s pick, seemed to favour them initially, leading 10-5.

However, Team Heretics made a remarkable comeback, winning eight of the last nine rounds to claim the map.

Gen.G’s inability to convert 5v4 situations, despite having 15 first bloods, was critical.

Benjy “Benjyfishy” David Fish highlighted their aggressive post-plant strategies as a key factor in their turnaround.

The decider map, Bind, saw Heretics employing a flash-heavy composition, aiding their attacking and defensive strategies.

They led 8-4 at half-time, with effective use of flashes and coordinated attacks.

Despite a late surge from Gen.G, Team Heretics closed out the map at 13-10 and took the series from the hometown favourite.

Kim “t3xture” Na-ra��s underperformance, with zero operator kills, was notable, and external factors like smoke machines were cited by Gen.G as distractions.

Meteor led Gen.G with 76 kills across the series, while Dominykas “MiniBoo” Luka?evi?ius from Team Heretics highlighted the mental strain of the match, calling it the hardest of his career.

DRX gets the clean series win to advance to the Playoffs Stage! #VALORANTChampions #DRXWIN pic.twitter.com/wNPY4c7OD7

VALORANT Champions Tour (@ValorantEsports) August 6, 2024

DRX secured a playoff spot with a clean 2-0 (13-11, 13-6) victory over Fnatic.

On Abyss, DRX turned a small lead into a 7-5 halftime advantage, eventually winning their map pick by the same margin, thanks to key plays from Yu “BuZz” Byung-chul and defensive strength.

Lotus saw DRX take a slender lead into halftime before running away with the map by winning six of the seven rounds in the second half and claiming the series.

Despite Emir “Alfajer” Ali Beder��s (1.40 rating) standout performance for Fnatic, DRX��s consistency and home-soil advantage proved decisive.

DRX’s victory marked a significant step towards their goal, showcasing their ability to perform under pressure and signalling their potential to go far in the tournament.

Wednesday’s VALORANT Champions matches

• Leviatan (-909.09) vs Trace Esports (+500) @ 5pm KST
• EDward Gaming (+175) vs G2 Esports (-250) @ 8pm KST

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Gen.G kicked off VALORANT Champions 2024 with a 2-0 sweep of Sentinels, who managed just 15 total rounds on Thursday. It was a strong showing from the Pacific representatives, and according to the top esports bookmakers, Gen.G are expected to add another victory to their resume on Tuesday.

EMEA��s third seed, Team Heretics, had to dig deep against FunPlus Phoenix in the opening match of Group B, needing overtime on Lotus to eke out a win. Such a performance against one of the lowest-rated squads in the tournament does not look inspiring, but it doesn��t make Heretics any less capable of beating Gen.G.

As this is a fixture between two elite teams, the favourites appear to be vastly underpriced with VALORANT betting sites. Heretics are talented enough to do some damage and have a deep enough map pool to find a weakness in Gen.G.

DRX and Fnatic both delivered in the opening round of Group A, beating KRU Esports and Bilibili Gaming, respectively. DRX needed a reverse sweep to make it past KRU, but VALORANT Champions Tour (VCT) Americas third seed are not that weak, so that result is hardly concerning.

Fnatic could have performed better against Bilibili Gaming, who were allowed to take nine rounds on Bind, but we can also blame DRX for losing Haven 2-13 despite having a 69% win rate on the map. It is fair to say neither team showed up in the opening round.

DRX are a capable team, yet it is hard to doubt Fnatic, who showed glimpses of what they are capable of in the second half of the season. There is a good chance this series ends in a 2-0 sweep for the EMEA representatives.

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