OpTic Gaming to face LOUD for trophy, DRX VS are out
After a very close 5-game series, OpTic Gaming had their names written against LOUD for the VCT 2022 - Champions Istanbul Grand Finals. DRX had done a great job by coming back from behind to tie the series at 2-2 and forcing the fifth map but their efforts weren’t enough.
Bind
OpTic Gaming’s first map pick of the series was Bind. DRX VS had two great post-plant performances in the early game and took the lead but OpTic Gaming’s attacks were unstoppable starting with the first gun round. OpTic completed a 7-round winning streak on the attacking end of their turn but lost the last three rounds of the half. They still lead the competition with a 2-round advantage, 7-5. Victor "Victor" Wong and Pujan "FNS" Mehta both had 10 kills and they played two of the biggest roles in OpTic’s dominance for seven rounds in a row. DRX once again won the pistol round and added another with the second round of the half. After that streak, DRX could only win one before the end of the match as they failed to break OpTic defense for five rounds in a row. OpTic wiped all the enemy members four times and time ran out for once. It was enough for the NA representatives to win the first map of the series in style. Victor’s 1.31-rating Raze was the man of the match for sure as he carried his team with 20 kills.
Breeze
DRX VS’ first pick of the day was Breeze. Even though they are familiar with the map as they have enough competitive experience on it, OpTic Gaming didn’t let them catch a break. The NA representatives made an impressive start by winning the first four rounds. DRX VS managed to plant the bomb in the second round to have hope for the first gun round but it still wasn’t enough to break through OpTic’s defense. The South Koreans won three rounds in a row after losing four and signaled a comeback for the fans but it turned out to be false. OpTic sat behind the wheel and won four of the five remaining rounds before halftime, 8-4. This time, Austin "crashies" Roberts and Jaccob "yay" Whiteaker stepped up on the defensive end, both holding a rating over 1.60. OpTic Gaming took the momentum and lost only one round in the second half, winning the map with a score of 13-5. They dominated the competition on DRX’s map pick and got closer to a potential sweep in the lower bracket final. crashies and yay both had 19 kills at the end of the map.
Fracture
DRX VS had to win on Fracture, OpTic’s second pick, to keep their grand final hopes alive. They won the first half but OpTic pulled out a miraculous eco performance to win the second round and also the third. The North American representatives had the lead after the first six rounds, 4-2, but everything changed after that point. DRX VS took control of the game and started to execute their attacks. As a result, they only lost one round after that point, winning 5 rounds in a row to take the lead before the second half started, 7-5. DRX’s star, Kim "MaKo" Myeong-kwan played out of his mind on Brimstone and held a 2.01 rating on the attacking end. OpTic won the second pistol round of the map but DRX VS picked up where they left off, starting with the first gun round. The South Korean team grabbed six rounds to complete the competition and force another map in the series, 13-8. MaKo finished the map with a 1.97 rating and 27 kills.
Ascent
DRX VS won four rounds in a row and made a strong start to force the fifth map in the series. Kim "Zest" Gi-seok and Yu "BuZz" Byung-chul were the key points in their early aggression. They continued to dominate on the attacking side, losing only three rounds in the first half. DRX VS’ attacking performance looked solid and they were very sure of themselves to force another map in the series to keep their hopes alive. BuZz had 14 kills at the end of the first half and a 1.49 rating. yay tried to keep his team head-to-head with DRX with 11 kills on Jett but OpTic only won three rounds. DRX’s good form continued in the second half as they closed out the fourth map after 19 rounds in total, 13-6. BuZz finished the game with 26 kills on Jett, holding a 1.81 rating. DRX pumped up the excitement by carrying the competition to the fifth and last map.
Haven
It all came down to Haven and OpTic made a great start by winning three rounds in a row. DRX VS answered back with a 4-round streak but after that, they failed to win a single round until the end of the first half. OpTic Gaming wiped them out for five rounds in a row and had the advantage before going into the second half. OPT’s defense was consistent and solid throughout the first half. Jimmy "Marved" Nguyen’s Omen came in handy on defense with a 1.76 rating and 14 kills. yay followed him with Chamber in his hands, dropping 3 first bloods. Despite losing the pistol round, OpTic surprised everyone by winning the second round and one more after that. DRX VS tried to hold onto competition and they tried their best to win the series. However, OpTic Gaming’s performance was better today as they closed out the series after a 13-10 win on Haven. Marved held a 1.48 rating and he had a great performance but yay’s contributions should also be mentioned.
_1750695677048.png&w=3840&q=75 "DRX")
_1750695677048.png&w=48&q=75 "DRX")
Marved
_1750695677048.png&w=96&q=75 "DRX")
The winner of this year’s biggest VALORANT event will be clear tomorrow. OpTic will look for revenge against LOUD. You can find more information about tomorrow and the previous stages on our event page.
Latest News
- What has VCT Americas been up to in between Stage 1 and Stage 2?Cloud9, Evil Geniuses, and Leviatán speak about their preparation for the upcoming Stage 2, and what it would take for Americas to bounce back on the global scene."
about 4 hours ago - DFM Meiy sets VCT ACS record with 509 ACS, including 6K aceMeiy puts on a record-breaking performance in one of the most explosive matches of the VCT Pacific season.
about 24 hours ago - "I don’t think I’m a player that the team can replace" - DRX MaKo reflects on 7-man roster, Corrode meta, and moreDRX MaKo reflects on VCT Stage 2 loss, team comps, 7-man roster, and leadership: “I don’t think I’m a player that the team can replace.”
1 day ago
Comments
vct 2023
For all information about the VCT 2023, check out our VCT Hub. There you will find our FAQ to answer all of your questions and details about the teams, different Leagues, and more.