XSET Dominates Fnatic at VALORANT Champions 2022
In a thrilling match between North America and EMEA, XSET emerged victorious against Fnatic at VALORANT Champions 2022. Despite the passionate support of Istanbul’s crowd for Fnatic’s Emir Ali “Alfajer” Beder, XSET showcased their dominance and silenced the audience.
XSET displayed an aggressive defense on Pearl, leaving Fnatic struggling to find their footing. Cryo’s exceptional performance with the Chamber/Operator combo and his 17 kills in the first half solidified XSET’s lead with a 9-3 score at the half.
Fnatic fought back on defense, with Cryo securing a crucial round for XSET through a clutch 1v2 post-plant play. However, thanks to Derke’s well-timed entry kills and clutch retakes, Fnatic managed to keep the score close. XSET’s aggressive playstyle paid off as they secured an 11-8 lead and further extended it to 12-8 with a successful retake. AYRIN and Cryo combined their efforts to take the next round, securing a 13-8 victory on map one.
Moving on to Fracture, Fnatic initially took the lead on their attack side. With the support of the crowd, Alfajer showcased his skills on Neon, earning crucial entry kills and anchor kills. Despite XSET trailing 5-1, they rallied with important retakes before the half, narrowing the gap to 7-5.
XSET’s switch to the attack side allowed them to slowly catch up to Fnatic. With zekken’s aggressive plays on Neon and Cryo’s stellar Chamber plays, the score reached a 9-9 tie. XSET took the lead with a flawless round, but Fnatic managed to equalize at 11-11 with a surprising Bucky 2K from Mistic. In a decisive BcJ triple, XSET secured a 12-11 lead and sealed the series with a 13-11 victory.
The win for XSET marks a successful day for North America against their EMEA rivals. Both NA teams advanced in the upper bracket, while all three EMEA teams were pushed to the lower bracket. XSET and OpTic will face each other in the winner’s bracket, while Fnatic will face Liquid, a familiar opponent.
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