Against all of the odds, GIANTX qualified for Champions 2025 after an outstanding Lower Bracket run at the VCT 2025 EMEA Stage 2. Now, the Europeans have unveiled themselves as Champions 2025's dark horses after a surprising 2-1 victory over the highly-experienced roster of Sentinels.
Sentinels headed to today's match as the indisputable favorites against GIANTX. While the American roster includes three VALORANT Masters champions, three of the five players in the European mix were playing in EMEA's Tier 2 just last year. Despite the difference in terms of experience, especially at an international level, GIANTX managed to pull off a great comeback that puts them one victory away from the playoffs.
Sentinels had the better start in the series as they collected a one-sided 13-6 win on Corrode. After the Europeans managed to keep up with Sentinels' pace in the first half, the Americans were uncontested in the second as they won seven consecutive rounds to claim the first map.
The second map of the series saw GIANTX and Sentinels facing off on Sunset, GIANTX's best map with a 71% win rate before today's game. There, the European mix had full control of the game, as they headed to the second half of the map with a 10-2 lead. Eventually, GIANTX forced the decider map, Haven, after a 13-4 win on Sunset.
Despite GIANTX's best efforts to send the series to map three, Sentinels impressively retook control of the match as they quickly built a 6-0 lead on Haven. Although GIANTX stopped the bleeding with four back-to-back rounds, Sentinels concluded the first half with a four-round lead. It wasn't looking well for GIANTX.
Surprisingly enough, the Europeans did what seemed impossible. Despite their clear lack of experience in top flight and international competitions, the players kept their tempers and nerves. On attack, GIANTX were way better than their opposition, and proved it by winning nine of their ten attacking rounds. In the end, the Europeans pulled off the upset and will play against Paper Rex in Group A's Winners Match.
GIANTX's IGL Kirill "Cloud" Nekhozin was the best player of the match with an ACS of 254 and 51 kills to his name. He was GIANTX's most consistent player. Without his performance, both in and outside the server, the Europeans would probably have lost today.
Meanwhile, Sentinels will have to play against XLG Esports on September 19, 2025, in Group A's Elimination Match. The defeated side will be sent home, while the winner will have another shot at qualifying for the playoffs.