VCT Masters Shanghai Playoffs Day 2 Predictions

Day 1 of the Playoffs had just concluded yesterday, with 100 Thieves and Gen.G running away with victories. The action doesn’t stop, as two more heated matchups are in store. Here are Fragster’s predictions on the matches on Day 2.

We will expect to see the following matchups on the second day:

• Paper Rex vs. G2 Esports
• EDward Gaming vs. Team Heretics

Paper Rex vs. G2 Esports

We finally get to see Jinggg back on the international stage, and we’ll have an explosive series between Paper Rex and G2 Esports. Paper Rex has not played a match in Shanghai so far, as they were the first seed of the Pacific region. Meanwhile, G2 had to claw their way from the Swiss Stage with a 2-0 record.

Paper Rex has returned to claim their throne in the Asia Pacific region, winning almost all of their VCT APAC Stage 1 matches. However, not all of these victories were clean. They lost 0-2 to Team Secret and dropped maps against teams like Talon Esports. 

Still, they got the job done and won the entire event. The Southeast Asian squad definitely wasn’t in its top form during Stage 1, as Jinggg had just returned from a long break, and the team dynamics and roles were reverted.

On the other hand, we have G2 Esports, who miraculously qualified for Shanghai from the Americas region. They weren’t considered one of the strongest teams in the region, but finished second after taking down Leviatan. 

In China, G2 Esports won two Swiss Stage matches in a row to qualify for the Playoffs. They defeated T1 after an incredible comeback on the decider and defeated Team Heretics 2-1, a team that has a stand-in. Overall, G2 Esports has not looked very convincing, as the opponents in the Playoffs are twice as tough. 

If Paper Rex plays in normal form, the North American squad should not win this series. There is a decent chance they will take one map, but we still have Paper Rex winning 2-0. 

EDward Gaming vs. Team Heretics

EDward Gaming will obviously come into the Playoffs as the biggest crowd favorite, given they are a Chinese team playing in China. They are the sole representatives remaining and will take on EMEA’s second seed, Team Heretics. Remember that Team Heretics is playing with a stand-in.

The Chinese squad easily reclaimed their crown in their region, defeating FunPlus Phoenix in the Grand Final. Still, EDward Gaming has always been considered to be the best team in China by a mile, but they showed signs of struggle in Stage 1, dropping a map to Dragon Ranger Gaming. 

Again, we have not seen EDward Gaming play a single match at this event, so their form is heavily in question. Will we see peak EDG with a massive crowd buff, or will they crack under pressure and display signs of weakness?

Team Heretics is playing with the absence of one of their star players, MiniBoo. As a result, paTiTek is temporarily playing for the team, causing w0ot to switch to the Duelist role. The EMEA squad defeated both Chinese teams in the Swiss Stage to make it to the top eight, and will play against the third, EDward Gaming.

Despite being favorites, Team Heretics dropped the series against G2 with a score of 1-2. Their win against FunPlus Phoenix wasn’t too convincing either, as the final map, Icebox, went to quadruple overtime before they could grab the victory. 

This matchup is close to even, but we think EDward Gaming has a slight edge thanks to their home crowd. We’ll give the matchup a 55-45 in favor of EDward Gaming. Additionally, they have had the time to analyze Team Heretics replays and study their opponents, while the same cannot be said about them. 

Header: EDward Gaming Twitter