VCT LOCK//IN: Karmine Corp kick off their campaign with a 2-1 win over FPX

After crushing FunPlus Pheonix 2-1 in their opening match at VCT LOCK/IN São Paulo, European team Karmine Corp advanced to the Round of 16.

Starting off Day 2 of the VCT LOCK/IN, Karmine Corp and FunPlus Phoenix engaged in a cut-throat best-of-three match. Despite featuring some of the biggest names from China, FPX failed to overcome the European powerhouse and got eliminated from the first-ever event of the new franchised league. 

On the other hand, Karmine Corp put in an outstanding showing on the newest map Lotus and Pearl to make their debut with a resounding victory. They advance to the round of 16, where they will compete against the winner of the clash between the reigning world champions LOUD and GenG Esports.

Match Summary:

FPX chose Lotus to start off the best-of-three series, an unexpected choice mainly because Lotus was recently added to the pool and players are unlikely to have developed many in-depth strategies yet. As French player Ryad “SHIN” Ensaad led KOI to an explosive start, FPX’s unexpected choice swiftly turned into a nightmare.

FPX tried to put up a fight, but their tactics against KOI were ineffective. They attempted to stop KOI’s momentum in the second half, but they made no effort at improvisation. The European team finished the new map with a spectacular 12:6 victory.

Both the teams went toe to toe on the second map Haven, with the score equalized at 6-6 in the first half. With Huang “Yuicaw” Yung-chieh leading the charge for the squad, FPX makes every effort to mount a comeback. The squad swiftly gained momentum and launched an onslaught against the European mix, securing a brilliant 12:8 victory and sending the series to the decisive game.

Kcorp completely outplayed FPX with their firepower in the first half, and when the game entered the second half, their play style only became more aggressive. The Bulgarian duo of Adil “ScreaM” Benrlitom and Nabil “Nivera” Benrlitom found a way to shut down the Chinese fragger, picking multi-frags to boost KCorp to a brilliant victory.

Upcoming Matches

BBL Esports from Turkey and DRX from Korea will face off in the second game of Day 2. Since it marks the first time BBL perform on the international stage, it would be intriguing to see how the up-and-coming BBL squad performs against the seasoned Korean team in such a high-stakes game.

APAC’s Paper Rex and NA’s Cloud9 will square off in Day 2’s third and final match, which is by far the closest match-up in Group Alpha. Both teams are considered to be among the heavy favorites from their regions to win this tournament as they feature some of the greatest players in the Vlaorant scene.

Header: Colin Young-Wolff/Riot Games