NRG pulls off a comeback win against T1 to secure a VCT Masters Tokyo playoff spot.
For the second time in a row, a North American team has secured a playoff spot at the VCT Masters Tokyo after going 2-0 in the group stage. First was Evil Geniuses, who will be joined by their fellow VCT Americas team, NRG. This comes after NRG reverse-swept T1 in the winner's match of Group A to determine who moves on to the playoffs.
Coming in as the second seed from the VCT Americas League, NRG will be looking to make its mark in the playoffs once more after a quarterfinal exit at the VCT LOCK//IN. Their series against T1 proved that NRG does have what it takes to bounce back from adversity.
NRG's best-of-three series against T1 was a great way to kick off the third day of the VCT Masters Tokyo as the Korean contingent proved to be a worthy opponent in the winner's match-up. T1 would take the first win on their map pick of Lotus in a tight 13-11 win. Game one would also be the longest of the series, spanning over an hour after both teams headed into the half tied at 6-6. And it would be T1 who would come out in the clutch for rounds 23 and 24, picking up back-to-back wins to close out the first map.
Heading over to the first-ever Bind map pick for the VCT Masters Tokyo, both teams would yet again go into the break tied at 6-6. Both teams weren't able to get much momentum in the match, trading rounds back and forth constantly. However, the second half spelt a different story for NRG, who took four straight defuses before a fifth and final round win to claim the second map.
But the game's last match on Pearl showcased how the momentum can easily shift to the other end after one match. NRG would take the first seven rounds of game three before T1 clawed itself back with five round wins in a row of their own to end the half. T1 would go on to take two more rounds in the second half before NRG came back with three straight wins of their own.
T1 would not go down without a fight, claiming four straight rounds to make it 11-10 in favour of the Koreans. Unfortunately, T1 could not keep up the pressure with NRG being able to secure two key defuses in the last two rounds to win the series and book its slot in the playoffs.
