LOUD and FURIA fight for the top spot on the leaderboard over in the VCT Americas region. Both are currently equally tied for first place in the 2023 VCT Americas leaderboard, standing undefeated 2-0 in the first two weeks of competition.
Not only are the two teams longtime rivals from the same league, the victor of this match will be placed in an extremely strong position and almost be guaranteed a spot in the Playoffs.
Source: Twitter | @valesports_na
LOUD vs. FURIA – Match of the Week
We have a perfect schedule in Week 3, but the Brazilians take the highlight spot.
FURIA had originally been Brazil’s top team in 2021, even topping the 2021 South America LCQ to represent the region in Champions. However, with the creation of LOUD in 2022, they were outshined and outperformed. LOUD claimed the top spot in various 2022 BR challenger events. This rivalry was deepened when LOUD secured Brazil’s sole invitation to the 2022 Valorant Champions, relegating FURIA to a runner-up status.
Going into their duel, LOUD has both chosen and won their past 3 competitive games on Split. While recently a less picked map, the team have also seen a large success on Ascent, having secured 5 of the past 6 games on the map most recently.
This match will be highly interesting, as Ascent is FURIA’s most played map boasting a nearly 70% win rate throughout their competitive history. Icebox on the other hand may be a focus pick for LOUD, with the team finding more consistent success while it is often a coin flip for their opponents.
If we go a three way series at Split, Ascent and Icebox we are likely seeing LOUD take the cake once again. Maybe FURIA has a secret ace up their sleeve.
The two super teams meet on the 17th of April.
VCT Americas 2023 – Week 3 Schedule & Standings
Each day features matches pairing teams tied directly in the standings. This makes their head to head duels more important then ever.
Source: Valorant Esports NA
April 15
Cloud 9 vs. 100 Thieves
NRG vs. MIBR
April 16
Leviathan vs. Sentinels
Evil Geniuses vs. KRU
April 17
LOUD vs. FURIA
By the end of this week, we expect to have a clear favorite on top, but a big mess in the middle of the standings for teams between 2nd and 8th place. With Week 4 being a superweek and all teams playing two matches. Winning here should take away some pressure and prep time for the upcoming weekend.
Player Highlight – Demon1
While Evil Geniuses suffered a 0-2 defeat to 100 Thieves earlier in week 2, Demon1’s personal performance despite being subbed in suddenly in game 2 was exceptional. Relatively new to the professional Valorant scene having only begun his career in 2022, Demon1 possesses immense skill. Paired along with his confidence, he is definitely a player you should keep your eye on. A recent interview with EG coach reveals Demon1 has been consistently participating in the team’s scrims with very positive results and is especially used to strategize more explosive executions.
While there is no guarantee we will see him in Week 3 as he is still a substitute, we do hope EG experiments with the young player more in the VCT series. Demon1’s earlier presence completely changed the tempo of game 2, with his aggressive plays certainly improving the viewer experience.
Read next: VCT EMEA 2023 – Schedule, Teams & Event Info
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