Does luck matter at the highest skill level? To gain insights, let’s examine the biggest upsets of NA Challengers League Qualifiers in Valorant!
The Valorant Champions Tour (VCT) is the largest global tournament in Valorant, organized by Riot Games. Spanning multiple regions, the VCT consists of three stages: Challengers, Masters, and Champions, leading up to the highly anticipated VCT Grand Finals, making it the pinnacle event.
In the recent NA Challengers League qualifiers, we witnessed intense and competitive games that showcased the dedication and countless hours of practice put in by professional players.
Some teams secured victories with dominant performances, while others fought tooth and nail in closely contested matches. What adds to the excitement is when a highly anticipated favorite team is caught off guard by an underdog, resulting in an upset or a thrilling comeback.
In this article, we’ll recap some of the biggest upsets of NA Challengers League qualifiers in Valorant, along with the details of the matches or series.
Let’s dive in!
TL;DR
- Disguised makes surprising comeback from 0-1 series deficit against Team Fish Taco.
- Despite fan expectations, V1 loses against Rat Attack in a 2-1 series defeat.
- 99 Strength makes a comeback against Soniqs, winning the series 2-1 after a double overtime win on Map 3.
- Rebo shines in maps 2 and 3, leading Happy2bHere to a 2-1 series win against Moon Racoons.
Team Fish Taco vs. Disguised
In a surprising twist, Disguised Toast, a well-known streamer also known as Jeremy Wang, formed a pro team called Disguised. They faced off against Team Fish Taco in a Best of 3 series. Despite expectations of an easy 2-0 win for TFT, unexpected events proved that anything could happen in competitive gaming.
During the map veto process, TFT selected Icebox for game 1, while DSG picked Ascent for game 2, leaving Pearl as the map for game 3. Despite DSG being considered the favored team in this matchup, TFT surprised everyone by decisively defeating them in game 1 on Icebox.
TFT displayed exceptional teamwork and dominated every round, with King Vinny showcasing his top-tier skills and ending the game with an impressive KDA of 25/8/2. The match was one-sided, resulting in a 13-3 in favor of TFT, securing them the win.
Both teams battled fiercely in game 2 of the series, resulting in a closely contested match. As expected, DSG secured the win on Map 2, with all players performing better than on the first map. The final scoreline stood at 13-8 in favor of DSG.
However, in the last game, DSG shocked everyone with their dominant performance. It was a major upset for TFT, who had a commanding win in game 1 but ultimately fell victim to a reverse sweep in the Best of 3 series.
DSG displayed near-perfect gameplay, ending the final game with an impressive 13-1, solidifying their victory.
Version1 vs. Rat Attack
Version 1 had been performing admirably throughout the single eliminations bracket. However, after suffering a loss and moving down to the Lower Bracket, they faced Rat Attack. Many believed Version 1 would have an easy matchup against Rat Attack, but the outcome was unexpected.
In the map veto process, Version 1 picked Haven for Map 1, and Rat Attack chose Icebox for Map 2, leaving Ascent for Map 3. Despite Haven being Version 1’s pick, Rat Attack won with a 13-7. Cavern’s impressive performance as Skye was notable, and Rat Attack took over in the second half.
On map 2, Rat Attack’s chosen map, Version 1 put up a close fight in the first half. With 2 Sentinel Agents and a Viper, Version 1 had an advantage on the defending side in the second half. They displayed a solid defense, taking control and securing the win with a scoreline of 13-8.
Ascent was the decisive map of the series, with both teams tied at 1-1. Rat Attack, considered the underdogs, had come a long way and were determined to give it their all. The first half was closely contested, ending with a 6-6.
However, Rat Attack showcased excellent teamwork and effective use of their abilities in the second half. Although they lost the pistol round, they dominated the entire half afterward. Version 1 only managed to win one round in the second half, resulting in a 13-7 victory for Rat Attack.
Soniqs vs. 99 Strength
The match-up between Soniqs and 99Strength appears to be closely contested, although Soniqs are slightly favored. They faced each other in the Lower Bracket round 2 of the open qualifiers. Undoubtedly, this series was closely fought, with all games being closely contested and won by just a round or two.
After intense strategic gameplay and winning crucial clutches, Map 1 extended into overtime. Soniqs displayed exceptional performance, securing the win in overtime with a score of 14-12. This victory put them in the series lead, scoring 1-0.
Despite being considered the underdogs, 99 Strengths refused to back down in the second map, Breeze. In another closely contested game, 99s emerged victorious with a 13-11.
Kehmicals proved to be a standout player, showcasing exceptional skill with Jett and securing 25 kills, despite not having the best KDA ratio. This win gave hope for 99s into the series, defying earlier predictions and setting the stage for an exciting conclusion.
The final map, Ascent, was a thrilling showdown that ended in Double Overtime. 99 Strengths displayed impressive skill, with closely matched kills and KDA ratios. In a hard-fought battle, 99s secured a 16-14 win, completing a remarkable comeback in the series.
Happy2bHere vs. Moon Racoons
Moon Racoons, known for their reputation as one of the top Tier 2 teams in the NA division, faced off against Happy2bHere in Lower Bracket Round 2. With high expectations from their fans, Moon Racoons were favored to take the series.
In the map veto, MR picked Icebox as Map 1, while H2bH chose Haven for Map 2, leaving Ascent for Map 3. The first half of Icebox was closely contested, with H2bH leading 7-5. However, H2bH gained momentum after winning the pistol round in the second half, securing a convincing 13-10 victory in Map 1.
Moon Racoons demonstrated their prowess as one of the best Tier 2 teams in the NA division on Haven, the second map. With a strong start, Rebo playing as Astra, stood out with an impressive KDA of 25/11/13, leading the scoreboard. Moon Racoons secured a win, tying the series 1-1.
The intensity of the series reached its peak on Map 3, Ascent. Both MR and H2bH were making mistakes but also delivering incredible plays. The match eventually went into Overtime, where H2bH managed to secure two rounds, winning the map with a score of 14-12, taking the series with a 2-1 victory.
