Acend Signs L1NK as New Controller Player
Acend has announced the signing of Travis “L1NK” Mendoza, who will fill the void left by inactive member Aleksander “zeek” Zygmunt. L1NK, a player from Great Britain, was previously a mainstay with Team Liquid.
Shifts in Roster Positions
Interestingly, both L1NK and zeek were moved to the inactive roster of their respective teams within weeks of each other in June. L1NK’s benching came as a surprise since Liquid had a decent record in EMEA VCT Stage Two. However, the team and L1NK reached a “mutual conclusion” to part ways just before their scheduled match against NAVI. Liquid then signed Dreamas of LDN UTD for the rest of Stage Two, but their performance in the playoffs fell short, and Dreamas left the team earlier this month.
Acend’s Recent Struggles
Similarly, Acend faced setbacks in the playoffs, losing two consecutive matches in the double-elimination bracket of Stage Two, just like Liquid. As the reigning world champions, Acend decided to make another roster change, having already moved on from BONECOLD and Kiles earlier in the year.
With this latest signing, Acend’s roster has undergone significant changes since their victory at the first-ever VALORANT world championship. Only Turkish superstar cNed and starxo remain from the original championship-winning lineup. Unlike last year, Acend will now have to compete in the challenging EMEA Last Chance Qualifier to secure a spot in Champions. However, it’s worth noting that L1NK and Liquid successfully reached last year’s Champions through an impressive EMEA LCQ run, so he brings valuable experience to the team.
Upcoming EMEA LCQ
The EMEA Last Chance Qualifier kicks off on August 7. Although both Liquid and Acend are participating, they are on opposite sides of the bracket. Therefore, a potential clash between the two teams would only occur in the upper bracket final, if both teams progress that far. Liquid will begin their run against BBL Esports from Turkey, while Acend will face M3C in a rematch of the Champions grand final.
Acend, L1NK, VALORANT, esports, roster changes, Last Chance Qualifier, Liquid, EMEA VCT Stage Two