In a stunning display of dominance, Giants Gaming convincingly knocked Team Liquid down to the lower bracket of EU VCT Stage Three: Challengers Two to secure their own spot at the upcoming EMEA Challengers Playoff.
Giants entered the upper bracket final already with some momentum since they crossed off one name on the list of top European VALORANT teams: Fnatic. In their Thursday, July 29 match against Fnatic, Giants came back from a 13-4 blowout on Icebox to start the series, rallying with a win on Bind and capped off with a five-overtime victory on Ascent. The MVP of that series was Davidp, formerly of G2 and Excel Esports, who joined Giants as a stand-in just a week before the final VCT open qualifier.
Not interested in digging themselves out of a hole like they did against Fnatic, Giants came out scorching hot against Liquid on Bind, winning the first seven rounds on attack, finishing the half leading 10-2, and ending it quickly by a 13-4 scoreline. Giants kept the Liquid stars of ScreaM and Jamppi quiet in map one, holding them to just nine and 10 kills each. Davidp out-fragged both Liquid stars with Brimstone, using his smokes to create opportunities for the rest of his team as well.
The series turned to Split, but despite it being Liquid’s pick, they still ended up getting crushed by Giants. ScreaM had a much better performance in his second straight map as KAY/O, but again, Giants held a 10-2 lead at halftime after starting on defense and quickly ended the map and the series with a 13-5 victory on Split.
Giants Gaming’s presence has been missing during the first two stages of VCT in Europe, but the new stand-in additions of Davidp and Ambi have improved their form as of late. Throughout the open and closed qualifier, and the main event of Challengers Two, they only dropped one single map in that previously mentioned comeback victory over Fnatic. They can secure a better seed and some extra cash in the Challengers Two grand finals, but the job is done: Giants Gaming are through to the EMEA Challengers Playoffs.
Only one team will join them by reaching the Challengers Two grand final via the lower bracket. At least one of Liquid or Fnatic won’t be at the EMEA Challengers Playoffs after reaching Masters Two in the previous stage, perhaps even both of them if TENSTAR win two straight series.
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