Image credit: VALORANT Esports
NAVI versus DRX proved to be the highlight of day two as both teams went the distance to determine who goes to the playoffs.
It was an intense and hectic series between NAVI and DRX but in the end, it was the Pacific squad that pulled through in the end with a 2-1 victory. That win means DRX is the first the team to make it through to the playoffs, which also grants them a week's worth of rest before their next match.
As for NAVI, they will drop down to the decider match-up where they will await the winner in the elimination series, which will now be between Team Liquid and LOUD. The loser of that series will be eliminated from VCT Champions 2023.
Both DRX and NAVI went through their own overtimes yesterday and it only seemed fitting that the first map of their series would go down to OT as well. Bind was the map of choice for NAVI in game one and they proved just why, taking eight of the 12 games before the half with seven of those wins being full-buy rounds. NAVI would go on to win the first two rounds of the second half but DRX soon mounted a comeback by taking six straight rounds before splitting the last four between the two teams.
With OT forced, NAVI would win the first round after a 300IQ defuse play from Andrey "Shao" Kiprsky. However, DRX responded in kind with a flawless round to even things once more. From there, went on to win the next two rounds to take game one.
DRX's choice for map two was Split and both teams would end up going into halftime tied at six-all. Neither team could get a foothold on the game after stints of round wins rotated between the two. But it was NAVI who came out swinging in the second half, winning seven of the next 10 rounds to even things up.
We went to Lotus for the third and final map of the series and once again, both teams would go into halftime with things all square. But unlike game two, the momentum shifted a lot more in the third with neither team able to fully take control of the half.
This would carry on into the second half as well as both teams constantly traded rounds back and forth to yet again take it to another OT. And yet again, it was DRX who came out on top in their second OT of the series and third in the tournament. To make the win even sweeter was the way DRX took that last round with a flawless win to close it out for good.
Be sure to check back tomorrow for day three of VCT Champions with some Group C action. It will start off with NRG versus Bilibili Gaming followed by Fnatic and ZETA Division.
