EDward Gaming and Boom Esports face early elimination at Champions Istanbul

Day 5 of VCT 2022 - Champions Istanbul witnessed a change in schedule with the majority of FunPlus Phoenix being out due to food poisoning. Nonetheless, ZETA DIVISION and Team Liquid did not waste the opportunity to secure much-needed wins to avoid elimination.

Zeta Division vs Boom Esports

VCT 2022 - Champions Istanbul

BOOM Esports

1

X

2

ZETA DIVISION

Group B - Elimination Match, Best of 3 - September 4, 2022 - 12:00PM

13

Haven

11

11

Pearl

13

2

Fracture

13

BOOM Esports

player

Rating

ACS

K/D/A

+/-

K/D

KAST

ADR

HS%

FBSR

FB

FD

fl1pzjder

1.12

221

52/43/12

+9

1.21

72.8%

145.8

28%

64%

7

4

Xffero

0.93

187

45/47/17

-2

0.96

70.3%

125.6

33%

33%

2

4

Famouz

0.72

175

33/51/18

-18

0.65

60.3%

119.4

11%

38%

5

8

BerserX

0.70

170

39/51/7

-12

0.76

57.2%

106.8

15%

48%

13

14

blaZek1ng

0.67

141

32/43/18

-11

0.74

62.8%

96.5

34%

29%

2

5

ZETA DIVISION

player

Rating

ACS

K/D/A

+/-

K/D

KAST

ADR

HS%

FBSR

FB

FD

Laz

1.46

286

65/35/10

+30

1.86

80.3%

176.7

29%

67%

14

7

Dep

1.21

241

53/42/13

+11

1.26

79.4%

148.9

27%

50%

5

5

SugarZ3ro

1.15

212

44/42/28

+2

1.05

84.7%

128.6

30%

50%

4

4

ten

0.97

195

39/44/25

-5

0.89

76.1%

131.7

25%

42%

8

11

crow

0.82

158

34/39/19

-5

0.87

77.5%

111.1

29%

60%

3

2

For the first matchup of the day, it was the Japanese facing off against the international debutants Boom Esports that had the misfortune of going head-to-head with OpTic Gaming, arguably the most consistent performers in the ongoing VCT season.

Proceedings commenced on Haven, and the more experienced Zeta Division did not waste any time in posting up a lead. By halftime they were already up 8-4, a consequence of their 5 round streak in the half. It seemed that the matchup would go on to be entirely one-sided and the Indonesian team would have to return empty handed. However, only half of that statement came true as the next half on Haven featured a a mind-blowing performance on Defence by Boom Esports allowing them to close out the map 13-11 courtesy of a well-rounded team effort with Rizkie "BerserX" Adla Kusuma topping the leaderboard charts.

Losing after an 8-4 lead was far from the optimal scenario Zeta had imagined; therefore, they decided to seek revenge on Pearl, their map pick. The timeline of the first half was almost similar to that of Haven, but this time the retaliation from Boom Esports was contained slightly better despite the immediate outburst after second half started. By round 20, Boom Esports stood at 11-9 only two points away from avoiding elimination but the veteran Zeta Division launched a four-round comeback to close out the map before the predicament worsened.

With the match progressing to decider, everyone had hoped for a close, entertaining finish. But ZETA had different plans as they adapted a brick-like defense and shut out Boom Esports Attack after the first two rounds. The half finished with a 10-2 score and the opposition seemed to have given up any hopes of comeback as the Japanese closed out the series in the three rounds conducted in the second half.

Team Liquid vs EDward Gaming

VCT 2022 - Champions Istanbul

EDward Gaming

0

X

2

Team Liquid

Group A - Elimination Match, Best of 3 - September 4, 2022 - 3:40PM

5

Bind

13

12

Breeze

14

EDward Gaming

player

Rating

ACS

K/D/A

+/-

K/D

KAST

ADR

HS%

FBSR

FB

FD

ZmjjKK

1.15

254

37/34/6

+3

1.09

69.9%

150.5

24%

64%

9

5

Life

0.70

172

27/34/6

-7

0.79

50.2%

124.0

29%

29%

4

10

CHICHOO

0.70

140

20/28/16

-8

0.71

65.2%

99.2

27%

0%

0

3

Haodong

0.64

126

21/33/10

-12

0.64

66.9%

81.6

35%

57%

4

3

nobody

0.58

128

19/38/8

-19

0.50

64.1%

86.9

20%

33%

2

4

Team Liquid

player

Rating

ACS

K/D/A

+/-

K/D

KAST

ADR

HS%

FBSR

FB

FD

ScreaM

1.26

251

38/22/11

+16

1.73

79.3%

165.2

37%

60%

6

4

Nivera

1.17

212

32/23/16

+9

1.39

83.8%

129.0

37%

67%

2

1

dimasick

1.13

198

30/26/20

+4

1.15

80.1%

123.1

34%

43%

3

4

Jamppi

1.06

215

35/26/6

+9

1.35

78.2%

140.5

19%

59%

10

7

soulcas

1.00

201

32/27/12

+5

1.19

74.6%

136.8

37%

57%

4

3

Despite a decent performance in their opening match against Paper Rex, they were relegated to the elimination match where they were later joined by Team Liquid coming off of a loss against the LATAM giants Leviatan. Bind was the first to host both teams and EDG decided to establish momentum early on by taking the first couple of rounds. Their hopes were soon diminished as the EMEA team retaliated brutally to take eight of the next ten rounds facilitated by none other than Adil "ScreaM" Benrlitom rampage which earned him a 3.25 KD and 1.58 Rating.

A four-point deficit does pose a threat, but one that has been easily overcome on several occasions in the competitive scene. But when your opponent is Team Liquid, the chances of doing so decrease significantly and EDG had to face this harsh reality with their elimination from the tournament at stake. Team Liquid closed out Bind with a final score of 13-5. Both teams then transitioned onto Breeze where the Chinese team once again took the opening pistol but then lost control of the momentum and Team Liquid capitalized to post a 7-5 lead by halftime.

EDG realized that the remaining twelve rounds would decide the team’s fate in the event, which is why they strengthened their defenses. After a poor start to the half, they composed themselves and stringed a 4 round streak to place Team Liquid in a difficult predicament. Their experience, however, helped them force Overtime and subsequently close out the series.