NRG crush The Guard to secure playoffs spot in NA VCT Stage 2

NRG smashed The Guard 2-1 in a deciding match to grab a spot in the playoffs of VALORANT Champions Tour 2022: Stage 2 Challengers for North America. NRG will begin the playoff stage in the lower bracket alongside Evil Geniuses, while Guard can still qualify for the final VCT event of the year through the Last Chance Qualifier.

NRG clinched a playoff berth, putting an end to The Guards’ hopes of playoffs. Despite a promising start to the season with a Masters appearance, The Guards appeared to be off course after a string of poor performances.

NRG defeat The Guard

Guard got out to a good start on their own map pick of Bind, winning the first round to take the lead. They kept pushing past the opponent’s defense to put an end to NRG’s comeback attempt. The Guard ultimately led the first half 8-4 despite facing heavy resistance from opponents.

Guard went overboard in an attempt to expand the lead, however, were immediately penalized. NRG tried to capitalize on the momentum by winning four consecutive rounds before Jacob “valyn” Batio stepped up for Guards with a 1.52 KD and sealed the map with a 13-11 victory.

Although Guard attempted an offensive approach on Haven, they were unable to establish their usual dominance on the map. NRG, on the other side, put on a fantastic performance, topping the first half 7-5. The second half, however, was utter chaos, with the scoreboard swinging like a sea-saw.

The Guard immediately tied the game at 7-7 with two straight rounds before NRG completely turned the tide of the match. With a magnificent performance from Daniel “eeiu” Vucenovicin the last moments, NRG closed the map 13-10, equalizing the series 1-1.

Everything came down to the final and decisive map, Split, where NRG wreaked havoc in the first half, winning seven consecutive rounds. The team left no room for a comeback with their aggressive counterattacks and almost impenetrable defense. The Guard, however, went all-in in the second half, winning four more rounds before NRG took the map 13-6. With an impressive K/D of 2.15 and an incredible 1vs5 clutch in the first half, eeiu was a standout performance for NRG.

VCT Stage 2 challengers Group stage concluded

The VCT Stage 2 challengers Group stage ended with some stunning eliminations following five weeks of VALORANT action. TSM, Cloud9, and Sentinels all failed to qualify for the playoffs, with The Guards being eliminated as the bigger disappointment. TSM and The Guards both have a 1-4 record, while Sentinels have a 0-5 record after failing to win a single game. Cloud9, on the other side, won two matches but were still unable to qualify for the playoffs.

Header: NRG