Paper Rex triumphs over LOUD, and Evil Geniuses showcases its strength against DRX.

In the second round of the Upper Bracket of the VCT 2023 - Champions, two electrifying matchups dominated the day. LOUD faced off against Paper Rex, while Evil Geniuses went head-to-head with DRX. In this clash between Americas and Pacific, two teams will secure a spot in the Upper Bracket Finals.

Here are the matches of the day:

• LOUD vs. Paper Rex
• DRX vs. Evil Geniuses

Paper Rex vs. LOUD

In the first clash of the day, the champions of the Pacific and the Americas, PRX and LOUD, squared off for the first spot in the Upper Bracket Finals. The Brazilian team came off a significant victory against Fnatic, while Paper Rex remained undefeated in the competition thus far.

Starting on Lotus, LOUD's chosen map, it was evident from the beginning that this match would be a spectacle. With a masterclass in retakes from the Brazilian team, LOUD managed to conclude the first half with an advantage on the scoreboard. After winning the second Pistol Round, their lead extended to 9-5. However, leveraging WGaming's prowess and making sound decisions, PRX swiftly staged a comeback, reclaiming several rounds.

As time progressed, it appeared that LOUD was no longer able to exert the same absolute control over their decision-making as they did in the first half. The match eventually reached overtime. With both teams delivering incredible performances, the Overtime delivered a spectacle for the viewers, with rounds decided on the tiniest of details and insane plays. Yet, it was PRX who managed to seal the map when they finally took the lead, closing it out with a score of 15-13.

On Split, PRX's chosen map, things played out quite differently. LOUD didn't give their opponents any room to breathe, and with a stunning performance from Less, the Brazilian squad managed to close out the map with a comfortable score of 13-2. Not much to comment on, is there?

In the final and decisive map, Pearl, we were treated to yet another spectacle. LOUD started off strong, stringing together several rounds and pulling off sensational retakes. However, just like in the first map, it seemed that the team started to lose their way a bit and struggled with coordination. They conceded several rounds in a row to PRX, who took the lead and concluded the first half with a 7-5 advantage.

In the second half, PRX demonstrated even greater dominance, expanding their lead further. Despite dropping a few rounds, they managed to close out the map and the series with a 13-10 victory.

Perhaps if LOUD had secured the win on Lotus, this could have been a 2-0 match in favor of the Brazilians. Nonetheless, the determination and resilience of PRX proved to be stronger.

DRX vs. Evil Geniuses

In the second match of the day, Evil Geniuses took on DRX. On EG's chosen and comfortable map, Fracture, the North Americans demonstrated why they are renowned on this map. With an impeccable defense, the Americas' team concluded the first half with a substantial lead of 8-4. In the second half, DRX showed a slight resurgence, but they were quickly overtaken by EG, who closed out the map with a score of 13-9.

This time on the map chosen by the Koreans, Lotus, something unexpected happened. DRX simply didn't perform. With a rather lackluster match from the Pacific representatives, DRX witnessed EG concluding the first half with a score of 10-2. While DRX has managed to make comebacks from similar situations before, such as against Bilibili, this time it wasn't the case. The American team quickly took care of business, and thus the match and the series ended with a score of 13-4 in favor of EG.

LOUD is set to face EDward Gaming the Lower Bracket, while DRX is going to face Fnatic.

Make sure to check out the VALORANT Champions event page to keep up to date with the schedule, check out the stats, and upcoming matches!

Featured image photo credit: Colin Young-Wolff/Riot Games