by The VALORANT Champions tournament in Seoul, South Korea, kicked off with a bang as Group B, touted as the “group of death”, lived up to the hype.
Gen.G dominated a gallant Sentinels squad in the opening series of the event, while Team Heretics and FunPlus Phoenix played out a nail-biting contest.
For the tournament’s opening match, Gen.G, playing on home turf, dominated Sentinels in a decisive 2-0 (13-8, 13-7) victory, settling the score after their loss in the VALORANT Champions Tour Masters Madrid grand final.
Revenge taken!
Gen.G wins the rematch vs Sentinels to kick off their #VALORANTChampions run! #GenGWIN pic.twitter.com/WjyINxMOS1
— VALORANT Champions Tour (@ValorantEsports) August 1, 2024
The Korean squad’s aggressive playstyle and impeccable teamwork proved too much for the North American giants.
In particular, Kim “t3xture” Na-ra, the Gen.G duelist, was a standout performer, pushing Sentinels to their limit throughout the series.
Sentinels were unable to win their pick on Haven, and Gen.G, known as the world’s best team on Ascent, proved way too good on their choice.
Kim “Meteor” Tae-o secured a 1v3 clutch in the first round on defence, setting the tone for the match on Haven.
Gen.G showcased excellent retakes and individual heroics, flipping crucial rounds in their favour.
T3xture ended the game with a KDA of 24/12/4 and an average combat score (ACS) of 305 and led his team to victory.
Sentinels tried a team composition with Deadlock and Cypher on Ascent but struggled against Gen.G’s coordinated attack.
The VALORANT esports rookie sensation, Kim “Karon” Won-tae, secured a remarkable 4K with a sheriff in the second round before going on to lead his team to a 13-7 victory.
Gen.G’s victory sets them up to face Team Heretics in the upper bracket, while Sentinels will face FunPlus Phoenix in a must-win lower bracket match.
If the first match was a showcase of dominance, the second was a masterclass in resilience and determination as Team Heretics and FunPlus Phoenix (FPX) engaged in a thrilling battle that showcased their highest level of gameplay.
Heretics won on Abyss with a scoreline of 14-12 in overtime, with both teams trading early rounds on the newest addition to the map pool.
Enes “RieNs” Ecirli finished with the highest rating of 1.53, 202 ADR, and a +16 differential.
The Turkish-born rifler led his team with 28 kills, including a standout 4K with the guardian.
FPX returned serve with a 13-9 victory on Bind, ending the map with three straight round wins to end Heretics’ late comeback.
FPX dominated with a double-controller and Chamber-based composition, taking an 8-4 lead and eventually winning 13-9.
Both teams traded 6-6 halves to send the final map of Lotus to overtime before Heretics clinched the map 15-13.
RieNs continued his dominant form and ended the series with a server-high 1.34 rating and +27 kill/death differential across the three maps.
Team Heretics walk away with the series win against FPX at #VALORANTChampions Seoul! #VamosHeretics pic.twitter.com/tHihcenhnu
— VALORANT Champions Tour (@ValorantEsports) August 1, 2024
