LOUD will be waiting for their opponent in the Decider Match to see if they can advance.

Almost half of the scheduled Group Stage matches have been completed – and Group B has its first Playoffs stage team. OpTic Gaming and LOUD met up in the Winners’ match to see who will advance to the next stage, and who will need to play for another day in Group B.

The match started with Breeze, where immediately LOUD took the lead and trounced OpTic from the start. By the first half ended, LOUD was leading by 10 points. OpTic tried to catch up in the second half and was almost there but LOUD was far ahead that they managed to end the map by round 20.

Fracture saw both teams at the same level by the end of the first half. For OpTic, however, turned the table around and went on the offensive. It was thanks to a 6-win streak from round 18 onwards that gave the North American team the win for the map. They won with a score of 13-10.

Pearl has proven to be a decisive map for teams that played it. In this instance, it was a boon for OpTic as they quickly led the map and ended the first half with a six-point lead versus LOUD. The second half was all the North American as they quickly ended the match in round 16, closing it with a 13-3 win for OpTic Gaming.

With this win, OpTic is the second team to head into the Playoffs, joining Leviatán. LOUD meanwhile will be waiting for the outcome of the elimination match between BOOM Esports and ZETA DIVISION to see who they will battle in the Decider Match

VCT Champions Istanbul is happening from 31 August until 18 September in Istanbul, with the Playoffs set to be played in front of a live audience at Volkswagen Arena from 9 September 2022.

VCT Champions 2022: OpTic Gaming joins Leviatán in the Playoffs stage