FunPlus Phoenix Secures Upset Victory in Marathon Series Against Gambit
FunPlus Phoenix (FPX) achieved an impressive upset against Gambit in a marathon series during the EMEA VCT Challengers One. The grueling match lasted over three and a half hours and went into overtime twice before FPX emerged victorious.
In the first half, FPX showcased their dominance on Gambit’s pick of Fracture, with an aggressive attacking strategy. Led by ardiis on Jett, FPX won eight consecutive rounds, including five multi-kill rounds in a row. They secured a commanding 9-3 lead at halftime, which extended to 12-3. However, Gambit mounted an incredible comeback, winning nine consecutive attacking rounds without a single error.
In an intense overtime period, both teams traded defensive wins through three rounds. FPX finally gained the upper hand when Shao successfully defended against a one-vs-three retake by sheydos. In the following round, Shao delivered two crucial kills while defending A, effectively shutting down the Gambit push and securing a nail-biting 17-15 victory for FPX.
The series then moved to Bind, and both teams surprised everyone by not selecting Sova, a typical favorite for both squads. This time, Gambit dominated the map, taking a commanding 10-2 lead on defense, thanks to impressive plays made by Chronicle on Brimstone. Gambit never allowed FPX to gain momentum, and Chronicle’s critical 3K in the final round sealed their victory on Bind, with a score of 13-6.
On Icebox, FPX started on defense and found early success by conceding site control to Gambit before executing successful retakes. Gambit responded by playing mind games with FPX, delaying their actions until the final moments of each round. However, FPX heavily relied on Sage’s wall to secure defuses and managed to secure an 8-4 lead at halftime. Gambit’s aggressive defense on Icebox resulted in early kills and put immense pressure on FPX during bomb plants. Although Gambit reached 12 rounds first, FPX rallied and forced the map into overtime.
In the overtime period, FPX capitalized on punishing Gambit’s plant, making their retakes relatively simple. On the attack, they won crucial trades, forcing Gambit’s Jett player, deff0, into a one-vs-three retake situation. Despite the efforts of Gambit’s star player, FPX emerged victorious with a 14-12 score on Icebox.
After an impressive performance against Liquid last week, Gambit appeared slightly shaky against FPX in this series. They experienced defensive struggles on Fracture and offensive difficulties on Icebox. However, they still demonstrated why they are a formidable team in VALORANT, making FPX’s win even more remarkable.
Gambit now holds a 1-1 record and will face another CIS team, Na’Vi, in their next match. On the other hand, FPX maintains an undefeated 2-0 record and will take on LDN UTD in their upcoming game.
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