Team Liquid lives on to fight another day after a nervy 2-1 win over EDward Gaming.
The VCT EMEA has just proved why it's the region to beat after Team Liquid sent EDward Gaming to the lower bracket. This comes after a nervy 2-1 victory for Liquid, who managed to rally back in the third map to take the series. Team Liquid will now move on to face Evil Geniuses, who defeated LOUD earlier today.
EDG has been one of the tournament's dark horses after a thrilling group stage run that saw them take out the likes of T1 and NAVI. And while they didn't manage to defeat Liquid, they did make the VCT EMEA League champions work hard for it in all three maps.
The first map on EDG's pick of Haven did not work out too well for them. Both teams would trade rounds back and forth during the first half, keeping the score level at 6-6 heading into the break. Unfortunately, Liquid would go on to decimate EDG in the second half, winning seven of the next 10 rounds to secure game one with Saif "Sayf" Jibraeel leading the charge for the team with a 1.51 rating along with 26 kills and a 349 ACS.
Split was Liquid's choice in game two and both teams would once again trade rounds in the first half with the score tied at 6-6. However, the second half told a different story with EDG constantly putting a stop to Liquid's gameplan, winning seven of the nine rounds to secure the second game and take it to the third and final match. And it would be Yongkang "ZmjjKK" Zheng once again to carry the charge for EDG with his 21 kills and 296 ACS.
With the third and final map being on Lotus, it was EDG who would go into the break with a slim lead at 7-5. Both teams were playing exceptionally well with EDG having a slight advantage. However, Liquid would rally themselves back in the second half, going on a dominant seven-round winning streak to put themselves at match point. But EDG would not go down without a fight, securing the next four rounds to put themselves within a point of going to overtime.
Both teams would instantly trade kills at the start of the round with only Dom "soulcas" Sulcas and Wan "CHICHOO" Shunzhi left alive on either squad at the end of the massacre. With soulcas being the spike carrier, he would make his way to the plant site and be able to hold down a tight angle to take out CHICHOO, who soon rotated in and was unaware of who was behind him.
EDG's next match will be against LOUD, another VCT titan who will have a lot of expectations riding on them. As for Team Liquid, they will have to wait until Monday to play their series against Evil Geniuses.
