Team Heretics becomes first team to qualify for Champions Playoffs
On Day 5 of VALORANT Champions Seoul 2024, Pacific and Shanghai Champions Gen.G faced off against EMEA's 2nd seed, Team Heretics, in a highly anticipated rematch of the VCT Masters Shanghai finals. Both teams were vying for the coveted spot in the playoffs, setting the stage for an intense showdown.
The match unfolded as a grueling 3-map saga, showcasing the resilience and determination of both teams. Despite the challenging conditions, including issues with smoke machines in the arena, Team Heretics emerged victorious, securing the first playoff spot available.
For Benjyfishy, the victory wasn't solely about defeating Gen.G, but rather about recognizing the significant improvements his team had made.
“For me it doesn't really mean anything because we beat Gen.G. It's more just like the fact that we've improved a lot from Shanghai. And even from the start of the tournament versus FPX, we've just improved a lot since then.”
Boo echoed similar sentiments about the hard-fought match, saying,
"I think they did everything they could. Like they played 100 percent. And maybe it wasn't like the world championship performance. But we gave it all. They gave it all.”
Reflecting on their previous encounter with a different Team Heretics roster, Munchkin noted that Los Niños now have more depth to their roster with the return of MiniBoo.
“With Miniboo joining their team and with them playing in a full roster, I think it gives them a lot of more options when it comes to the agent pool.”
Munchkin also commented on his team’s performance today, and also regarding the conditions in the arena.
"We didn't have the best mental for today's game. There was a lot of smoke in the arena because of the smoke machine. It did make it hard for us to breathe. It made everything foggy. But it did get better by the third map. We couldn't look at the monitor clearly. It was that external aspect as well."
Gen.G will have one more chance to qualify for playoffs. They will face off against the winner of Sentinels vs FunPlus Phoenix.
With this significant victory, Team Heretics not only secured their spot in the playoffs but also demonstrated their growth and potential as a top contender in the tournament. Their journey continues, and fans eagerly await to see how they will perform in the upcoming matches.
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Featured Image Source: Colin Young-Wolff/Riot Games
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