Summary
- Team Heretics and Team Liquid won the lower bracket of VCT EMEA Kickoff 2026 to keep their VALORANT Masters Santiago qualification hopes alive.
- Karmine Corp and ULF Esports bid farewell in the tournament after losing 2-1 in their respective matches in the lower bracket.
- The surviving teams set to face NAVI and GIANTX in the next lower bracket round of the tournament.
VCT EMEA Kickoff 2026 is in its playoffs stage and teams showed up big in their matches to keep their qualification dreams alive. Team Heretics and Team Liquid claim upset victories in their respective matches in the lower bracket of competition. So, here’s a recap of the matches between Team Heretics vs Karmine Corp and Team Liquid vs ULF Esports in VCT EMEA Kickoff 2026.
Team Heretics Bounces Back Against Karmine Corp
After suffering defeats from NAVI and GIANTX in earlier rounds, Team Heretics finally secured a win in the series. It wasn’t an easy victory for the Valorant Champions 2024 runner-up after Karmine Corp dominated the first map on Abyss. Despite the cruel 13-2 score in their first match, Team Heretics quickly regrouped and found their rhythm on Haven.
During the first half, the teams were head-to-head and ended 6-6 before Heretics bounced back in the second half. They won seven rounds and secured a 13-8 victory to force a deciding map in the series. Team Heretics wasted no time in their decider match and jumped to a 4-0 lead before Karmine Corp on Corrode.
However, Karmine Corp proved themselves as a strong competitor by taking five consecutive rounds against Heretics. Despite finishing the first half in a deadlock, Team Heretics pushed ahead to an 11-8 advantage to claim the victory. Still, Karmine Corp refused to surrender and claim three straight rounds to level the score once again.
In the end, Team Heretics remained composed and won 13-11 to take the series 2-1. Karmine Corp’s duelist Burak “LewN” Alkan delivered the highest individual performance of the match.
Team Liquid Survives ULF Esports Scare
Meanwhile, the 2025 VCT EMEA Stage 2 champions Team Liquid fought against the heavy favorites ULF Esports in the lower bracket. ULF Esports shockingly take Split 13-8, after dominating the second half where they limit Team Liquid to two rounds. Definitely, the Ascension team proved they are worthy of the spot and won’t be intimidated by their opponents.
Yet, Team Liquid responded quickly to their aggression and ran a 6-0 lead in the Breeze Map. However, ULF mounted a comeback with five consecutive rounds which shifted the momentum temporarily. Team Liquid eventually regained control and claimed nine straight rounds to end the map 13-5 and enter a deciding match.
Their decider match in Pearl challenged both teams, particularly Team Liquid. This map is considered as Team Liquid’s one of the weaker maps which leads to a close first half. Initially, ULF was doing well and reached the map point first but committed crucial errors to lose the advantage. Team Liquid capitalized on these mistakes and forced overtime to secure the 14-12 victory.
Looking Ahead
Both Team Heretics and Team Liquid are off to tough matches as the lower bracket battle continues in VCT EMEA Kickoff 2026. They will face NAVI and GIANTX respectively in the next round to determine their fate in the tournament. The Kickoff will continue through February 16, awarding the VALORANT Masters Santiago qualification spots to winners.
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