Evil Geniuses Upsets NRG to Secure Top-Three Finish in VCT Americas Playoffs
Evil Geniuses (EG) has embarked on an amazing underdog journey in VALORANT’s VCT Americas playoffs after narrowly qualifying. They previously stunned NRG and recently defeated Cloud9 in the playoffs, securing a spot in the upper bracket finals against LOUD. This victory guarantees EG a top-three finish and qualification for Masters Tokyo, solidifying their success in the tournament.
A Surprising Clash: C9 vs EG
The clash between Cloud9 (C9) and Evil Geniuses on May 24 was highly anticipated, as both teams have defied expectations in 2023. C9’s roster changes before the regular season seemed to signal a decline, but they proved otherwise, finishing with an impressive 8-1 record. On the other hand, EG struggled early in the regular season with a 1-4 record but managed to win three of their next four games to secure a playoff spot.
EG Shines in the Playoffs
Following their upset win over NRG, EG continued their outstanding performance. They won the map pick for the first game, choosing Fracture, and dominated with a 13-5 victory. Demon1 played a crucial role, opting for Brimstone instead of his usual Jett, while Alexander “jawgemo” Mor unleashed his Raze capabilities. EG effectively countered C9’s strategies with well-coordinated flanks and strategic use of utility from Raze and Sova. The second map, Bind, ended even quicker with EG triumphing 13-2, led by Kelden “Boostio” Pupello’s 21 kills. EG demonstrated decisiveness throughout the map, losing only three first-kill duels in 15 rounds, compared to C9’s 12 losses.
EG’s Path to International Success
With this impressive win, EG secures their spot in two international VALORANT tournaments: Masters Tokyo and Champions 2023. However, the victory is bittersweet as their breakout player, Demon1, will be unable to compete in Tokyo. Despite this setback, EG has a talented roster that can potentially fill the void left by Demon1’s absence.
We will have to wait and see if EG can successfully overcome this hurdle in their quest for victory.
Evil Geniuses, VALORANT, VCT Americas, playoffs, NRG, Cloud9, upset, upper bracket finals, Masters Tokyo, underdog, success