FNATIC survive DRX, avenge Champions 2022 loss

FNATIC FNATIC Europe Rank #1 Leo Leo Jannesson Derke Nikita Sirmitev Boaster Jake Howlett Chronicle Timofey Khromov Alfajer Emir Ali Beder defeated DRX DRX Korea Rank #1 stax Kim Gu-taek (김구택) BuZz Yu Byung-chul (유병철) MaKo Kim Myeong-gwan (김명관) Foxy9 Jung Jae-sung (정재성) BeYN Kang Ha-bin (강하빈) in the lower bracket of the Valorant Champions 2023 playoffs stage to secure at least a top four placing. DRX finishes with a top six placing after finishing third at Champions 2022. FNATIC moves on to face LOUD LOUD Brazil Rank #1 Quick Gabriel Lima saadhak Matias Delipetro Less Felipe de Loyola tuyz Arthur Andrade cauanzin Cauan Pereira in a rematch of their earlier loss in the upper bracket.

“We were feeling that going into the games against LOUD and now DRX thinking like it was ours to win,” Boaster said post-match. “The next time against LOUD we won't make the same mistake. We've got mistakes to fix and things to work on but hopefully we'll win.”

The showdown was the third time the teams have played each other in a Champions event. FNATIC took down then- Vision Strikers Vision Strikers Inactive stax Kim Gu-taek (김구택) Rb Goo Sang-min (구상민) Zest Kim Ki-seok (김기석) BuZz Yu Byung-chul (유병철) MaKo Kim Myeong-gwan (김명관) in the Champions 2021 group stage, but DRX returned the favor last Champions, eliminating FNATIC in the losers quarterfinals.

Bind was the first map of the series as FNATIC's map selection. The Europeans threw a curveball at DRX, opting to swap Alfajer from his usual Cypher pick onto Chamber – an agent he hasn't played once this year. DRX jumped out to a quick 6-1 defensive side lead after a decisive Zest 4K and a stax 1v1 clutch.

The dominance would not stop for DRX there. Aggressive plays on defense with forward-placed smokes and pop flashes took FNATIC by surprise time and time again as the Korean roster finished the half up by a remarkable 11-1 scoreline. Although Boaster managed to find his first and second kills in round 14, nothing could save FNATIC from a 13-1 drubbing.

It was just utter demolition from DRX as the result tied NRG vs. ZETA DIVISION on Haven as the largest round difference in Champions. Stax pulled out multiple clutches, and his play around his teammates' smokes and his own flashes bewildered FNATIC as they attempted to find space. FNATIC only managed four plants in 12 attack rounds.

DRX looked to end FNATIC's VCT season for the second straight year on their map pick of Haven. A pistol win combined with a crucial Leo 4K clutch in round four saved FNATIC from yet another disastrous start. DRX would regain their momentum however, flooding sites on the FNATIC site hits to end the half at 6-6.

After DRX won the second half pistol and established an 8-6 lead, a fantastic play in round 17 that entrapped the DRX players brought FNATIC a 9-8 advantage. FNATIC found great timings, stopping DRX plants over and over to eventually win the map 13-9.

Despite a 1-8 performance on the attack side for Derke , the Jett player turned up on defense to bring the map home, putting together a 14-3 defensive side with 245 ADR and six first bloods. Alfajer also found his usual self on Killjoy, leading the team in rating, ACS, and kills.

The series would be decided on Split. DRX nearly lost the anti-eco on round two, but MaKo found a miraculous kill to secure their bonus round win to go up 3-0. Despite MaKo's continued theatrics, FNATIC found seven of the next nine rounds to go into halftime with the lead.

On their attack, DRX struggled to find a clean entry onto a site, finding just one plant in their seven attacking rounds. FNATIC would clean up easily on the deciding map, finishing it and the series with a commanding 13-6 victory. Leo dominated thoroughly, finding critical kills and putting together multiple frags with ease, to lead FNATIC home with a 25-7 performance and a 100% KAST.

Even with the brutal map one loss, the statistics for FNATIC show how they regained control to take the series. A +13 first kill differential plus positive ratings across the board for the defending champions led the turnaround. MaKo was the only DRX player to finish positive in both rating and in K/D differential.

The loss ended DRX's time at Champions after a promising start in the group stage. The season was considered a bit tumultuous for the top Korean squad with constant switching between Zest and Foxy9 , but the Champions playoffs run clinched their sixth straight bracket stage appearance dating back to Champions 2021.

“It's the 5th-6th curse again, so it's a bit of a disappointment,” DRX IGL stax said post-match.

FNATIC will match up again with LOUD, after the Brazilian squad dramatically defeated the favorites in the opening series of the playoffs stage.

“We expect LOUD to be ready, but we want revenge and we are hungry,” Alfajer said in the post-match interview.