Vitality’s Journey at VCT LOCK//IN: A Promising Start for the Newcomers
Despite their limited international experience, the Vitality roster aims to make a mark in the EMEA VALORANT scene. Coach Salah Barakat is confident that with more time on stage, his team will join the elite.
Vitality kicked off their VCT LOCK//IN campaign with a win against Global Esports. They showcased dominant performances on Split and Lotus, although they stumbled on Pearl. In the second round, they made a valiant comeback on Haven against Leviatán but fell short in regulation and through three overtimes. The team’s lack of international exposure took a toll on their energy, leading to defeat on their pick of Pearl and an early exit from the LOCK//IN tournament.
According to coach Slash, “I still confidently believe we’re in the upper echelon [of EMEA], in the top half. This game is a lot about experience in front of a crowd, and in an event like this, [and it’s] the first right experience for everyone here except for BONECOLD.”
Coach Slash emphasizes the importance of experience for success. He believes that in terms of strategy, aim, and player mechanics, Vitality is on par with the top teams. Given their recent performance, many people share the same belief in the team’s potential.
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It was the first international VCT stage appearance for most of the Vitality players, except for former world champion BONECOLD. However, BONECOLD has not been on stage since the end of 2021. Some members of the team also have limited European VCT experience in the past two years. This is in stark contrast to other teams like NAVI, Fnatic, and Liquid, who have a wealth of international exposure.
Vitality faced clear contrasts in their two series, especially with a disappointing statistic of losing all 10 pistol rounds across five maps. However, newcomers ceNder, MOLSI, and Twisten performed admirably in their international debuts. The team remains confident, with BONECOLD stating that they have seen “tremendous” improvement in their map pool. Both BONECOLD and the coach believe that Vitality will be a strong contender in EMEA gameplay.
Vitality, VCT, LOCK//IN, EMEA, VALORANT, esports