Day one of the VCT Masters Toronto playoffs saw two of the most hyped teams in the bracket making clear statements. Paper Rex and Sentinels both managed 2-0 wins that put them a step closer to the grand finals, while G2 Esports and Xi Lai Gaming now have no room for mistakes, falling into the lower bracket.
Paper Rex dominates early, sends G2 packing
PRX from the Pacific region looked calm and well-prepared as they handled G2 Esports in straight maps. The North American squad, which recently finished second at Masters Bangkok and won VCT Americas Stage 1, seemed off rhythm for most of the match and couldn’t really recover after PRX started pushing back.
G2 started the series on Split and had a pretty decent start, getting both pistol rounds and a bit of early momentum. But all of that seemed to fade quickly once PRX found its footing. A huge 1v3 clutch from PatMen flipped the pace, and from there, it was mostly PRX’s game. They took Split 13-10 after tightening their setups and pushing confidently on attack.
Image Credits: Riot Games
On the second map, Lotus, G2 again won the opening rounds but couldn’t hold on for long. PRX didn’t take long to adjust and slowly took control, pulling off smart rotations and post-plants. Another 13-11 win sealed the sweep for PRX.
New addition PatMen turned heads with his performance on Fade. He ended the series with 34 kills and a 205 average combat score, and pretty much was the backbone of their strategy. His clutch and utility timing gave PRX a clear edge, and it looked like he’s been part of the team for longer than just this season.
Even after such a strong showing, PRX stayed humble. “The better team won,” said d4v41 in the post-match interview, while f0rsakeN noted, “G2 is a great team… we knew they would pick us.” Their statements reflected calm confidence without any trash talk.
Sentinels take down Xi Lai in one-sided series
Later on, the Sentinels returned to action in the playoffs and crushed China’s Xi Lai Gaming 2-0. XLG had just made their international debut, and their inexperience kind of showed across both maps. Sentinels, meanwhile, played like a team that’s been here before.
Xi Lai started the series with a strange decision, choosing Sunset—a map that Sentinels has looked very strong on in the past. That decision didn’t quite work out. Sentinels got off to a fast start on attack, and especially zekken looked unstoppable. He finished the first half with 20 kills and just kept going. Sunset ended 13-6, and XLG didn’t really look like coming back at any point.
Image Credits: Riot Games
Then on Lotus, things didn’t really get better for the Chinese side. Despite having solid results on the map earlier in the year, XLG couldn’t deal with Sentinels’ pressure and map control. Rarga, one of their stars, struggled to get going and ended the half with only 4 kills. The match ended with another 13-6 scoreline, and Sentinels barely broke a sweat.
Zekken leads the charge again
Zachary “zekken” Patrone had what might be his best performance so far at the event. Playing Neon and Raze, he ended the series with a 41/20 K/D and 301 ACS. He was everywhere—entry fragging, clutching rounds, and keeping the pressure on XLG from start to finish.
Xi Lai, on the other side, still seems to be figuring things out. They recently lost their initiator, YoU, and Midi, who stepped in, didn’t have the same synergy with the rest of the team. With back-to-back defeats now, they’ll have to regroup fast in the lower bracket.
PRX vs Sentinels up next in upper semifinals of VALORANT Masters Toronto
Both Paper Rex and Sentinels now look ahead to what’s shaping up to be a heavyweight upper bracket showdown. Both teams are riding high on momentum and are considered top contenders to win the whole tournament.
G2 and Xi Lai, meanwhile, will get another shot in the lower bracket on June 15, but they can’t afford another loss.
As the second day of the playoffs begins, VCT EMEA Stage 1 winners Fnatic and Pacific champs RRQ are set to make their Toronto debut. The schedule promises more close matches, especially as the bracket starts narrowing.
June 14 schedule (EST):
- 12 PM – RRQ vs Wolves Esports
- 3 PM – Fnatic vs Gen.G Esports
You can catch all matches on the official VALORANT Twitch and YouTube channels.
Day 1 at Masters Toronto brought a few surprises, but also underlined who’s really ready to take the big stage. PRX and Sentinels looked clean, coordinated, and dangerous, while G2 and XLG need to rethink fast if they want to stay in it.
There’s still a long way to go, but one thing’s already clear—the upper bracket’s next round is going to be a real battle.
