A closely contested match saw the APAC Champions trumped by the EMEA LCQ winner.
As we close the Group stage for Champions, the last seats for the Playoff stage will be determined by the Decider match from each group. For Group A, the match is between Paper Rex and Team Liquid. Both teams saw one win and one loss each by this point of the Group stage and just needed that single win to be the second team heading into the Playoff stage.
The match started with Haven, where both teams played aggressively and saw both sides drawing by the end of round 24 – necessitating the need for Overtime. PRX tried to take advantage of the overtime, but unfortunately Team Liquid had the slight edge with a 4vs1 at the end of the last overtime round. A shot by dimasick took Benkai by surprise, and Team Liquid won the map 15-13.
Pearl, one of the more decisive maps in VCT so far, saw PRX rising and become the aggressor to Team Liquid. They led the first half with four points and dominated the European team in the second half where they ended the map by round 17, giving them the win with a score of 13-4.
Ascent is where everything hinges for both teams. PRX started strong, but Team Liquid immediately returned to the aggressive stance from round 3 onwards and kept a four-point lead by the end of the first half. Paper Rex tried to rise to the challenge in the second round but by round 21, it was all over for the APAC team as Team Liquid won 13-8.
Seeing how close the match was for both teams, it is a bittersweet feeling to see PRX having to pack up and return home after their Group stage run. Team Liquid meanwhile will be moving on to the Playoffs and see if they have the mettle to last all the way to the Grand Final round to be crowned Champion.
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.
