Fnatic and Guild Esports qualify for Masters 2 Copenhagen - VCT EMEA 2022 Week 6 Recap
The VCT EMEA group phase is over and the start of the play-offs was given this weekend! Among the teams that qualified were Fnatic, Acend, FunPlus Phoenix, Guild Esports, Team Liquid and M3 Champions. Some of them have already been eliminated and others, like Fnatic and Guild, managed to secure their place for the Masters 2 Copenhagen.
If you want a quick overview of the final scores, you can refer to the summary of week 6.
Previously in these Challengers
On the weekend of 10th-12th June, the teams played their final group stage match. At the end of the three days of competition, the top three teams in each group qualified for the playoffs. In the group A it was about Fnatic, Acend and FunPlus Phoenix. On the side of the Group B, Guild Esports, Team Liquid and M3 Champions got their place.
The playoffs started this Friday 17th June. Here is a recap of week 6 of the VCT EMEA 2022.
Upper Bracket matches
The playoffs of the EMEA Challengers Split 2 started with a match between Acend and M3 Champions. The current world champions had done rather well by finishing second in their group, but lost to the Russian team. The players started the match on Bind, where the first phase of play was quite tight. However, once the roles were reversed, the M3 Champions were much more aggressive and secured the map 13-7. On Breeze, the second map, both teams fought very well and even went to overtime. However, in the end it was M3 who won 16-14, sending Acend to the Lower Bracket.
The second match of the quarter-finals was between Team Liquid and FunPlus Phoenix. On Split, the Phoenix started very strongly by winning the first phase of play 10-2. They then lost the first six rounds after half-time, but still managed to win the map 13-8. Icebox was also completed in 13-8 but this time in favour of Liquid. The two teams were therefore separated by Haven. The card was very close, so much so that an overtime was also necessary. After almost an hour of play, however, it was FPX that emerged victorious, 14-12. Team Liquid also switched to the Lower Bracket.
Once these quarter-final matches were over, it was time to start the semi-finals. Guild Esports and Fnatic had already qualified for the semi-finals by finishing first in their respective groups and each faced the teams that had won during the quarter-finals.
Guild Esports started its playoffs by playing against M3 Champions. The first map, Breeze, was rather quick as the M3s were quickly put in trouble and lost 13-6. On FractureBoth rounds of play were very close, ending 7-5 for Guild Esports and then 6-6. But it was the Guild players who won 13-11 and thus qualified for the final of the Upper Bracket. Moreover, by winning this match, they have already secured their place in the Masters 2 Copenhagen.
It was then the turn of Fnatic to enter the stage to face FunPlus Phoenix. Just like the previous match, the first map ended quickly in favour of Fnatic. They have indeed completed Breeze in 13-6. Once passed on Ascent, the two teams had a hard time breaking the tie as both rounds of play ended in 6-6. An overtime had to be played which finally ended in favour of FPX, 14-12. On Fracture, the last map, Fnatic stepped up their game, playing almost perfect defence. Although they were less efficient in attack, they still managed to win. 13-9. They will therefore meet Guild Esports in the Upper Bracket final and also secure their place in the Masters 2 Copenhagen.
Lower Bracket matches
After being beaten by Guild Esports and FunPlus Phoenix respectively, M3 Champions and Team Liquid competed in the first match of the Lower Bracket. While Team Liquid won brilliantly 13-10 on Icebox, the other two maps ended in favour of the M3s. The M3s were excellent and completed Fracture in 13-7, then Bind in 13-6. They have thus secured their place for the rest of the competition and have definitively eliminated their opponents.
Second match at stake: Acend facing FunPlus Phoenix. Out of three maps played, two ended in less than 35 minutes and were particularly violent. Firstly, on Haven, the Acend players proved to be ultra-dominant, winning the first phase of play 10-2 and then the second 3-1, thus sealing the deal 13-3. Nevertheless, this heavy defeat did not impact the morale of the FPX who responded very well on Icebox. The map was very close but ended 13-11 in their favour. The two teams finally met on Breeze and this time it was FPX who inflicted a heavy defeat on their opponents. As if to avenge the first card, they in turn won 13-3 and gave Acend no chance and they were eliminated from the competition.
The rest of the playoffs
The rest of the playoffs will be played from Friday 24th to Sunday 26th June. Fnatic and Guild Esports will compete in the Upper Bracket Final for a place in the Grand Final. In the Lower Bracket, M3 Champions and FunPlus Phoenix will face each other in the semi-finals to see which of them will play the loser of the Upper Bracket final.
Who will win this EMEA 2022 Challengers Split 2? Who will qualify for the Copenhagen Masters 2 alongside Fnatic and Guild Esports? Answer this weekend!
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