Acend and Heretics to feature in Masters Europe grand finals

The semi-finals of Masters were played in Europe today, and boy did they deliver. Throughout two sets of intense action, upsets were had, great plays were made, and finalists were determined. Team Heretics and Acend will face off in the big match, while Guild Esports and FunPlus Phoenix have been eliminated.

Team Heretics defeat Guild

Heretics definitely came into this series as the favourites, but Guild weren’t to be underestimated either, as they had had a grueling but successful run so far. Ultimately, though, it was Heretics who’d make it through, off the back of a great series from Žygimantas "nukkye" Chmieliauskas.

Guild started off Haven well, Yacine "Yacine" Laghmari having a particularly standout half, but Heretics would march back, losing only 3 rounds on their attack to win the map. Ascent was more one-sided - Heretics’ co-ordination got them ahead and their individual skill kept them there. The First Strike champions will have their shot to defend their title.

cNed stars as Acend upset FunPlus Phoenix

It’s another semifinal disappointment for FunPlus Phoenix as they fell to Acend in one of the tightest and most entertaining matches of European Masters so far.

FPX started things out by looking dominant on Bind. They took it 13-7, looking like they had all event - one of the best teams in Europe. Mehmet Yağız "cNed" İpek was great, with 333 ACS in a losing performance, but that was all the good that Acend got.

Ascent was next up, and again it would be cNed’s playground. But this time, things were much more successful. This map has been a power pick for Acend all event, with Vladyslav "kiles" Shvets on Reyna, and that continued here with a 13-6 scoreline. The match was brought to Icebox, and it couldn’t get much closer. The teams were back and forth with each other, at each other’s throats. It went all the way to overtime, where Acend eventually clutched it out to take the 2-1 reverse sweep.

This sets up a great finals between the ever-dominant Heretics and the upstarts Acend. The former seems to have their strategy perfectly laid out, while the latter is probably the hottest team in Europe right now. Things will kick off tomorrow.

VCT 2021 - Stage 1 - Europe Masters

Team Heretics

2

X

0

Guild Esports

Semi Final, Best of 3 - March 20, 2021 - 4:00PM

13

Haven

10

13

Ascent

7

Team Heretics

player

Rating

ACS

K/D/A

+/-

K/D

KAST

ADR

HS%

FBSR

FB

FD

nukkye

1.29

278

41/32/9

+9

1.28

0.0%

220.5

20%

36%

5

9

AvovA

1.21

247

38/29/10

+9

1.31

0.0%

145.6

35%

56%

5

4

lowel

1.15

213

37/24/7

+13

1.54

0.0%

153.1

25%

75%

3

1

pAura

0.97

201

29/32/14

-3

0.91

0.0%

121.4

25%

45%

5

6

RUBINO

0.96

168

26/24/18

+2

1.08

0.0%

97.8

23%

40%

2

3

Guild Esports

player

Rating

ACS

K/D/A

+/-

K/D

KAST

ADR

HS%

FBSR

FB

FD

Sayf

1.13

230

33/33/13

0

1.00

0.0%

144.6

24%

67%

6

3

Yacine

1.04

240

36/33/5

+3

1.09

0.0%

164.7

22%

47%

9

10

Leo

0.99

193

28/33/18

-5

0.85

0.0%

140.5

17%

67%

4

2

bonkar

0.77

173

21/34/14

-13

0.62

0.0%

112.1

25%

67%

2

1

draken

0.74

182

23/38/10

-15

0.61

0.0%

110.9

28%

33%

2

4

VCT 2021 - Stage 1 - Europe Masters

FunPlus Phoenix

1

X

2

Acend

Semi Final, Best of 3 - March 20, 2021 - 6:15PM

13

Bind

7

6

Ascent

13

12

Icebox

14

FunPlus Phoenix

player

Rating

ACS

K/D/A

+/-

K/D

KAST

ADR

HS%

FBSR

FB

FD

Shao

1.18

218

50/40/25

+10

1.25

0.0%

156.7

32%

86%

6

1

Zyppan

1.10

240

53/49/14

+4

1.08

0.0%

149.8

24%

60%

12

8

dimasick

1.08

217

52/47/11

+5

1.11

0.0%

143.4

31%

56%

5

4

ShadoW

0.88

178

39/50/21

-11

0.78

0.0%

144.9

22%

43%

3

4

ANGE1

0.86

196

41/49/10

-8

0.84

0.0%

121.2

28%

50%

11

11

Acend

player

Rating

ACS

K/D/A

+/-

K/D

KAST

ADR

HS%

FBSR

FB

FD

cNed

1.42

295

67/48/13

+19

1.40

0.0%

174.9

24%

58%

11

8

koldamenta

1.15

235

55/44/18

+11

1.25

0.0%

146.5

22%

57%

4

3

BONECOLD

0.88

193

42/47/12

-5

0.89

0.0%

130.6

44%

38%

5

8

starxo

0.84

169

35/48/23

-13

0.73

0.0%

95.7

23%

46%

6

7

kiles

0.69

151

36/48/14

-12

0.75

0.0%

108.0

38%

15%

2

11