VCT LOCK//IN: EG and Talon move to the Round of 16, NRG to quarterfinal

After winning their respective matches, Evil Geniuses and Talon Esports have advanced to the Round of 16 at the VCT LOCK/IN 2023.  

The Valorant franchise league’s inaugural competition, the VCT LOCK/IN 2023, is currently in full swing in Sao Paulo, featuring thrilling matches inside the Alpha group. We are just four days into the event and eight teams have already been sent on a lengthy flight home, while eight teams have advanced to the Round of 16. The fourth Day of the event saw the last two matches of the first round of Alpha Group, which pitted Evil Geniuses against Team Heretics and MIBR against Talon Esports.

EG and Talon Esports survive the first round

Team Heretics and Evil Geniuses’ opening match, which was expected to be the most exciting of the day, ended up being a very one-sided contest with Evil Geniuses winning on both maps and advancing to the next round of the VCT 2023 LOCK/IN. Herectic’s chances of moving on were ended as EG defeated them with a 16:8 victory on Ascent after completely destroying the European squad on Pearl in a similar fashion.

After the first game, the Brazilian squad MIBR took the stage to take on Talon Esports, sending the entire arena into a frenzy. This was the MIBR’s first game together, and the Brazilian crowd, one of the most devoted fans in the world, was there to witness it. Yet the game did not go as the supporters might have hoped. 

The Brazillian team faltered against the emerging Talon team on Haven, where the Thai team dominated them throughout the map to secure a 16:8 victory. The second map, Fracture, saw Talon continue its winning streak. They overcame a 7-10 hole to win the tense match 16:11 and eliminate MIBR from the VCT 2023 LOCK/IN. Talon Esports and Evil Geniuses both advance to the round of 16 with their victories, where they will compete for a spot in the semi-finals on Saturday, February 18.

NRG thrash Giants 2-1 to move to the Quarterfinals

As the first round is over, the Alpha Group has officially advanced to the Round of 16. NRG Esports have secured a 2-1 victory over Giants Gaming to advance to the quarter-finals of the event. After dropping the first map Lotus, NRG managed to produce a brilliant comeback against the European team on Haven and Icebox, keeping NA’s winning streak alive at LOCK//IN. The second match of the day will pit Brazillian side LOUD against EMEA’s Karmine Corp.

Header: Riot Games