Probably the most extremely anticipated match of the VCT Pacific League kicked off with a bang in Seoul on Saturday night time, April 22, with the 2 solely undefeated groups within the area going head-to-head.
DRX, the group previously referred to as Imaginative and prescient Strikers, has set the usual for Asian VALORANT for the final two years. Their core roster has been collectively lengthy sufficient to develop collectively whereas bringing in new expertise, they usually look higher than ever in 2023 on the prime of the franchised Pacific League.
Although Gen.G completed a major feat in lastly taking a map off of DRX within the competitors, they nonetheless fell 2-1 after a rocky efficiency.
There was a ton of historical past between the gamers on the VCT stage tonight, as they’ve all competed via the identical Korean VALORANT circuit, and a few have even been teammates up to now. The sector was filled with followers holding up indicators and cheering for either side of the stage lined with star gamers.
DRX shortly and predictably eliminated Lotus, their permaban, from the pool, the identical manner they did in each collection they’ve performed up to now this yr. Gen.G opted to go onto Haven as the primary map, which had the potential of being a double-edged sword: whereas they’ve proven an unbelievable protection on the map up to now, additionally it is one among DRX’s finest maps.
Sadly for Gen.G, their protection this time round was a little bit of a catastrophe. DRX bulldozed via their strains and performed their post-plant methods to perfection. Particularly, Rb’s Sova utility saved Gen.G scared to even try to diffuse the Spike, going 10-0 via the primary 5 rounds of Haven.
Zest, the participant who has been on the bench for DRX as of late, is usually thought-about the higher Sova participant for the group—however Rb has actually stepped up in current weeks. His principal energy has at all times been his composure in clutch eventualities, however he has proven current mastery of Sova’s utility as properly.
DRX took the chance introduced by the utterly dominant scoreline to attempt extra website fakes and mindgames of their play, one thing not historically regarded as a part of their technique. Stax led his group in direction of unorthodox approaches to the map when it began to look inconceivable for Gen.G to make a comeback.
The one flaw for DRX on Haven was that their latest and youngest participant, Foxy9, appeared to be enjoying with a little bit of overconfidence. He was taking dangerous and unwarranted peeks that value DRX an Operator funding greater than as soon as. Nonetheless, DRX took Haven 13-7.
Shifting to Fracture, Foxy9 continued ahead with this confidence, however this time on Raze. On a extra chaotic agent, one which many argue have to be performed with a component of ego, Foxy9 pulled off the inconceivable.
Foxy9 wasn’t the one participant stepping up on this map. Gen.G began to seize a number of the cohesiveness brewing ever since their latest roster additions got here in final month. Nonetheless, this time it wasn’t even one of many new gamers, GodDead and Sylvan, however a well-recognized face main the cost.
After enjoying Sylvan on map one, Gen.G subbed in eKo, a extra skilled participant, for Fracture. Although some analysts have expressed doubt about eKo’s affect in Gen.G’s roster, his Breach was calculated, and his goal was sturdy tonight, sustaining an astronomical 43% headshot hit share throughout the map.
Finally, Gen.G secured Fracture with a scoreline of 13-10, changing into the primary group within the Pacific League to take a map off DRX. Nonetheless, DRX continued to point out their roster’s flexibility on Pearl by placing Rb, who beforehand locked in Sova, onto Harbor, the primary controller position. This left MaKo free to play his signature agent, Viper.
But, as one would anticipate in a stage lined with top-tier expertise from finish to finish, one more identify stepped ahead to be the star on Pearl. BuZz, enjoying his basic Killjoy, was 16-5 after simply eight rounds on the map.
Gen.G used each of their timeouts within the first half of Pearl, leaving TS to propel any momentum the group might get ahead for the remainder of the map.
DRX showcased not solely their professional coordination in retaking websites but additionally an total understanding of the map that left no nook unchecked and no hallway left unguarded. After some unlucky flanks that left Gen.G in what felt like a dying lure, the group appeared like they have been struggling once more.
BuZz ended Pearl with a whopping 377 common fight rating, enjoying an agent not designed to hold a group via fragging. DRX took Pearl 13-4 in dominant trend, proving that they’re nonetheless the kings of Asian VALORANT.
Although DRX now stand alone on the prime of the Pacific League, Gen.G has continued to show that their roster can also be able to reaching unbelievable heights. No different group has been capable of crack DRX up to now, so regardless of taking their first loss, Gen.G ought to nonetheless really feel pleased with their efficiency.
The VCT Pacific League returns with a match between Korea’s T1 and Philippine’s RRQ on Sunday Apr. 23 at 4am CT.
