The VCT 2022 North America Stage 2 Playoffs head down to the final four. After four upper-bracket series we are down to XSET and OpTic battling for a spot at the final, the lower-bracket NRG Esports and FaZe Clan will battle each other for survival and a shot at a series for the finals.
Two teams from North America get to go to Copenhagen for the Stage 2 Masters. Winning the regional VCT final is not necessarily as long as you get there.
OpTic Gaming
XSET vs OpTic Gaming
Unsurprisingly, both teams that dominated the group stage are playing a decider for the finals spot. OpTic are the clear favorites given their past performances this season, but we cannot discount XSET who sent the likes for 100T and Ghost packing. In terms of Valorant betting, it would be wiser to play for XSET to upset as odds are overwhelmingly not in their favor. OpTic are the Reykjavik champions and everyone expects a clean series to secure a finals spot. I tend to agree with the expectations.
In an off chance where XSET secures a final and OpTic eventually doesn’t, North America will be sending a completely new batch of teams to an international competition. This has happened on 4 out of 5 occasions thus far.
FaZe Clan vs NRG Esports
FaZe Clan kicked off the VCT 2022 North America Stage 2 Playoffs in the upper-bracket, taking on 100 Thieves in the opening challenge. The importance of the match was heightened by the fact that both teams have huge fan bases. At the end of a very close match, FaZe Clan were only one round away from the upper-bracket. However, they failed to win that round and were relegated to the lower-bracket.
They already beat 100Thieves and NRG seems like an easier opponent.
NRG Esports, on the other hand, didn’t have high expectations coming here. Like every team, they will play to win and build their street cred. Given their form in the group stage, Ghost Gaming and EG were the favorite in each of their series, and yet here we are.
Could NRG make a third suprise and send FaZe home?
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