Rise defeats FaZe Clan to secure spot in VALORANT Champions Tour
In the Last Chance Qualifier of the VALORANT Champions Tour, Rise emerged victorious over FaZe Clan, earning their spot in the upper semifinals. While FaZe still has a chance to make it to the grand final, they will need to win four consecutive games in the lower bracket.
Rise and FaZe clashed in the first Last Chance Qualifier match after a two-week delay caused by complications related to COVID-19. This delay led to logistical issues, prompting the event to be postponed in order to maintain the integrity of the competition. Finally, the tournament resumed today.
FaZe takes the lead on Breeze, but Rise fights back
The first map of the series, Breeze, was FaZe’s chosen map, and they established an early advantage. FaZe won the first six rounds of the first half and only dropped three rounds to Rise. The team comfortably defended the sites after planting the Spike, and Rawkus’s impressive performance secured them an easy victory in round three.
Rise began the second half strongly, winning the pistol round and the following two rounds, narrowing the scoreline to 9-6. In round 16, FaZe managed to slow down Rise’s momentum with a 3k from Babybay. Despite Rise winning two more rounds, FaZe closed out the map by winning the next three rounds.
Rise dominates second half to force a deciding map
The second match took place on Ascent, and the first half saw a similar performance from FaZe. Rise managed to win five rounds on the offense, but FaZe struggled in the second half and couldn’t break through Rise’s defense. Supamen played a crucial role in saving the pistol round for Rise, winning a one-vs-three situation with enough time to defuse the Spike. FaZe only managed to win one round in the second half, resulting in a 13-8 victory for Rise and forcing the series to a deciding map.
Rise outplays FaZe on Bind to secure victory
The deciding map, Bind, was FaZe’s second pick, but Rise had little trouble keeping up. The first half was a back-and-forth affair, with both teams trading rounds. However, in the second half, Rise secured a three-round win streak, setting the tone for the rest of the game.
Rise capitalized on FaZe’s tendency to overrotate between sites, allowing them to fake attacks and switch to unguarded sites. FaZe’s Babybay admitted that their over-rotation was a significant flaw that Rise exploited to their advantage. This ultimately led to Rise winning the map and claiming their first victory in the Last Chance Qualifier.
Next Steps for Rise and FaZe
Rise will now face the winner between Version1 and Cloud9 Blue in the next round at 8pm CT. On the other hand, FaZe will have another chance to advance in the lower bracket when they face the loser of the aforementioned match tomorrow at 5pm CT.
Rise, FaZe Clan, VALORANT, Champions Tour, Last Chance Qualifier, upper semifinals, grand final, Breeze, Ascent, Bind, esports, gaming, tournament, victory