VCT 2021: NA Challengers Playoffs – TSM and FaZe are out
Published: Aug 13, 2021
The VCT Stage 3 NA Challengers Playoffs are still underway. Sentinels and 100 Thieves are playing the next match that will decide who goes into the Grand Finals, but meanwhile XSET and Team Envy are battling for survival in Round 3 of the Lower Bracket.
TSM and FaZe Clan, two teams that managed to return after a long slumber in Valorant NA, have failed to make any significant impact during this event and have already packed their bags. VCT Stage 3 Challengers 2 was supposed to be the big break that would signal the return of these two veteran squads, but what we’ve seen so far in the Challengers Playoffs was nothing short of disappointing.
Sentinels and 100 Thieves qualified for Berlin
Despite the event not being over yet, we already know that both Sentinels and 100 Thieves have secured their spots at the upcoming VCT Masters in Berlin. With this information, we can expect a fun Upper Bracket Final match where none of these players will pull any punches.
Of course, winning the Challengers Playoffs is still an objective that both of these teams will surely pursue. However, with both teams now being in the clear, we’ll most likely see something resembling more to a deathmatch with both squads opening each round with guns blazing.
This scenario is not to everyone’s liking, though. Many enjoy watching those incredibly tense and calculated matches where every shot counts, and those fans expect to see the usual lineups filled with meta Agent picks. This time, we might be treated to another Yoru pick by TenZ, along with plenty of other surprises. In any case, Sentinels vs. 100 Thieves will be a treat to watch, and it will be interesting to see who’ll win this time.
Can XSET make it?
The match between XSET and Team Envy is arguably more interesting than the Upper Bracket Finals that precede it. This is mainly due to the fact that this match will decide who will go to Berlin, and who will go home.
XSET made quick work of FaZe in their first match, but suffered a devastating loss against 100 Thieves in the match that followed. Still, they have managed to recover and now find themselves one step away from success. Can they beat Team Envy or will Envy prove too much of a challenge this time?
A sad end for TSM and FaZe
Many of us assumed TSM was back after the stellar performance they showed during Valorant Champions Tour Stage 3 Challengers 2. The excitement was short-lived as TSM immediately buckled under pressure and lost 2-1 against Team Envy in Challengers Playoffs. Shortly after, they faced Rise in the Lower Bracket and we’re completely obliterated. That was the end of the road for TSM.
FaZe Clan suffered similar fate – defeated in the first match against 100 Thieves and then immediately sent into the Lower Bracket. To their credit, they did manage to score a victory against Luminosity, but they lost to Team Envy in the match that followed. Overall, they performed well in the Lower Bracket, but were completely outclassed by 100 Thieves in the first match of the Upper Bracket.
