Cloud9 Falls to 100 Thieves in Red Bull Home Ground Final
Cloud9, considered the offseason winners in North America, suffered defeat at the hands of 100 Thieves in the Red Bull Home Ground event. Despite their reputation as a “superteam,” Cloud9 was unable to overcome the newly-formed 100 Thieves team.
In contrast to other teams that made significant roster changes during the offseason, 100 Thieves chose to retain most of their team that had previously qualified for Champions. The addition of Cryocells, a former XSET star, proved to be the missing piece for the Thieves.
Out of the eight invited teams, 100 Thieves were the only ones to emerge undefeated from the group stage. On the other hand, Cloud9 lost a series to FOKUS and was later eliminated. In the semifinals, the Thieves continued their winning streak by sweeping Team Vitality 2-0 to secure their spot in the grand final.
The best of five final was fiercely contested in the first two maps, with both teams trading significant rounds. However, behind the stellar performances of Asuna on Bind and Cryocells on Fracture, 100 Thieves managed to take a 2-0 lead.
THIS IS ASUNA’S PLAYGROUND! @Asunaa pic.twitter.com/dBwTCwTVMO
— 100 Thieves Esports (@100T_Esports) December 11, 2022
As the final match progressed, Cloud9 found themselves on Icebox, which proved to be the most one-sided map in the series. 100 Thieves dominated, leaving Cloud9 powerless to stop their attacks. With a 9-3 lead at halftime and Cryocell’s strong defense on Chamber, 100 Thieves sealed the 3-0 victory with a resounding 13-3 win.
This event marked one of the first significant tournaments featuring rosters that will be competing in the 2023 VCT season. The younger 100 Thieves roster emerged victorious, setting the stage for their performance in the upcoming VCT play in Brazil next February.