The VALORANT Champions Tour (VCT) Pacific finals weekend kicked off today with two massive South Korean teams, T1 and DRX, duking it out in the Lower Bracket final for a spot in the Grand Finals.
DRX plan to book a rematch and with Paper Rex and exact their revenge on the grand finalists, who put them in the lower bracket. T1, on the other hand, is a team that managed to claw their way up the lower bracket despite being a relatively fresh squad that had limited time together.
The first game of the best-of-five match between T1 and DRX set the tone for what was expected to be an action-filled weekend. The match swung wildly one way, then the other as both sides attempted to feel each other out.
On Ascent, DRX led the game with a 9-3 scoreline in the first half, but T1 dug deep to make it 11-11. T1 rode on this momentum and won the 12th round, putting DRX on the back foot. DRX looked to bounce back after their second tactical timeout, but T1 remained dominant and won the first map.
On Fracture, DRX regained their composure and dominated the second game, winning 11 rounds before T1 managed to secure nine of their own. The end of the game saw many close calls and a valiant fight from both sides, but DRX ultimately clinched the second map, levelling the scoreline.
On Haven, DRX again led the race with a 9-3 lead, with Buzz closing the first half with a spectacular Ace. Not willing to back down, T1 time and time again turned the tables at the most critical moments, winning 11 rounds as DRX held match point. The crowd was at the edge of their seats; one team was on the verge of taking the game to overtime, while the other was just one round away from taking the win.
On the 24th round, T1's Munchkin found himself in a 1v4 situation and the pressure was just too much for him to handle. DRX pressed the advantage and ended the match with a score of 13-11.
In the fourth game, both teams found themselves on Bind's sandy corners, and DRX needed just one more win to punch their tickets in the Grand Finals. Realising their tournament survival was at stake, T1 kicked into high gear and close out the first half with a score of 8-4.
The second half of the match saw DRX showed signs of life and began to mount a comeback. T1 subsequently took their first timeout after failing to stop DRX in their tracks. The timeout proved beneficial as T1 managed to make some tactical adjustments to drag DRX to a fifth game and final game.
The decider match was played on Pearl; DRX had yet to lose on this map (5-0) while T1 only managed a meagre 33 per cent win rate (1-2). Sure enough, DRX steamrolled their fellow countrymen with a score of 8-4 in the first half. DRX blew away their opposition in the second half, securing their seats in the Grand Finals against Paper Rex tomorrow, May 28.
“There were a lot of spectators during LOCK//IN, and we couldn’t perform as expected due to the pressure, but today there was a huge crowd and we performed well. There are definitely some points that could be improved as we head into Tokyo,” said T1 in the post-match interview.
DRX head coach Pyeon ‘termi’ Seon-ho, meanwhile said while his team was confident heading into the tournament, they did not expect to make it this far.
“Today was a very tough match, we didn’t expect we’d go this far. Tomorrow we’ll be facing Paper Rex and as the South Korean representatives, we’ll be playing our best,” said the coach.
“Today featured insane mistakes both on our part and T1’s part, and the fans surely enjoyed the matches today. These are something we’ll be fixing before going against Paper Rex tomorrow.”
Who will emerge as champions of VCT Pacific 2023? Will DRX get their revenge on Paper Rex? Stay tuned to IGN Southeast Asia on Sunday as we bring you live updates of what will surely be a thrilling grand finale.
