EDward Gaming win Chinese Derby to Reach Upper Bracket Semifinals
The second match of the day at VALORANT Champions Seoul 2024 saw a fierce Chinese Derby between EDward Gaming and Trace Esports.
Expectations were high for both teams, but it was EDward Gaming who delivered a masterclass in dominance, securing a 2-0 victory and advancing to the Upper Bracket Semifinals.
EDward Gaming 2-0 Trace Esports
Trace Esports picked Bind as the first map, hoping to gain an early advantage. However, EDG had other plans. They stormed through the first half, ending with a commanding 10-2 lead. Although Trace Esports tried to stage a comeback in the second half, it was too little, too late. EDward Gaming closed out the map with a 13-7 victory, leaving Trace with no choice but to regroup.
EDG Head coach Tang "Muggle" Shijun commented on his team’s evolution over the year:
“I think we're played more disciplined, more correct. And it seems like we are now at the same level of the teams in the international stage. It seems like [the opponents] find it harder for them to use their individual power to find the breakthrough in the game.”
The second map, Sunset, was EDward Gaming’s pick, and they continued their dominant performance. Once again, they took a 10-2 lead in the first half. Trace Esports showed resilience in the second half, clawing back to win eight rounds. However, EDward Gaming proved why they are the top seed from China, ultimately winning the map 13-10 and securing a 2-0 series win.
Trace player Zhang "LuoK1ng" Zhanpeng still rated his team a 10/10 on their performance today:
“We would have been able to come back in the second half, to show we have improvements, and we have better adjustments about our mentality. And it seems like today’s loss on both the maps is because EDG had better form than us today. And I will rate ourselves 10 out of 10.”
With this victory, EDward Gaming advanced to the Upper Bracket Semifinals, where they will face Sentinels in what promises to be an epic clash.
IGL Wang "nobody" Senxu is cautiously confident about their next match:
“Sentinels seem not that scary for me. And I think we can target onto their game content. But if they perform with their individual performance, I think it will define if we are lucky that day.”
Meanwhile, Trace Esports have been relegated to the Lower Bracket, where they will face DRX in a do-or-die match.
As the tournament heats up, EDward Gaming has sent a clear message: they are here to win it all.
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Featured Image Source: Colin Young-Wolff/Riot Games
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