Fnatic remained undefeated in Brazil and won VCT LOCK//IN after they clinched victory over hometown team LOUD 3-2 in the grand final.
The European squad didn’t drop a single map in the omega bracket, holding a 9-0 record before the grand final. At the start of their match against LOUD, Fnatic looked destined to win their first VCT international trophy after they took the first two maps with ease.
LOUD then picked up steam, won the following two maps, and evened the series 2-2. Things got worse for Fnatic when they found themselves down 11-3 on the decider map, Icebox.
However, the European squad rallied to pull off an unbelievable comeback, winning nine straight rounds.
Fnatic finished their run in São Paulo, completing their comeback with a 14-12 win in overtime.
The win earned the EMEA region an additional slot for Masters Tokyo, and Fnatic walked away with the US$100,000 grand prize.
Fnatic holds off LOUD to win their first international Valorant LAN
LOUD opened on Ascent, where they’re nearly undefeated with a 20-1 all-time record.
Despite this, Fnatic picked the Brazilian squad apart. On defense, the European team pincered LOUD constantly, shocking the home crowd with a 13-8 victory on LOUD’s strongest map.
Leo “Leo” Jannesson performed exceptionally well in his international grand final debut, providing his team with pivotal clutch wins when they needed it most. He was undoubtedly the MVP on Ascent, with no other player coming close to his 23/12/13 KDA performance, according to vlr.gg.
A 6-6 scoreline marked halftime on second map Fracture. Fnatic then picked up the pace when they switched to defense.
The EMEA representatives denied LOUD from planting the spike for five rounds straight. Fnatic also pulled off an excellent retake in the final round, pushing the remaining LOUD players away from the spike.
With their backs against the wall, LOUD answered back on the third map, Split, their second map pick.
In the 15th round, Erick “aspas” Santos masterfully avoided Cypher’s Trapwire to flank his opponents. The move extended LOUD’s lead, and the Brazilian squad won their first map of the grand final 13-9.
On the fourth map, Lotus, LOUD made adjustments to counter Fnatic’s crafty mid-round rotations. Instead of relying on their utility to cover their flank, LOUD had Felipe “Less” Basso stand guard to stop Fnatic’s surprise attacks.
The Brazilian squad’s defensive anchors, Killjoy and Viper, came up big in the second half on defense. The two agents made it nearly impossible for Fnatic to rush into sites with their double molly setups. With the crowd cheering them on, LOUD evened the series with a 13-8 win on Lotus.
LOUD did not waste any time on the decider map Icebox. On attack, the Brazilian squad took a 9-3 commanding lead at the half. They then continued to fire on all cylinders, winning the next two rounds that extended their lead to 11-3.
What happened next was nothing short of a miracle. It was a comeback for the ages, as Fnatic won nine straight rounds. They continuously found holes in LOUD’s defenses and took control of the map from the attacking side.
The Brazilian crowd roared back to life after LOUD won the 24th round, forcing the grand final to overtime.
Fnatic’s star duelist Nikita “Derke” Sirmitev moved his team closer to the trophy, securing three pivotal kills with his Operator against LOUD, who were attacking B site.
In the last round, Fnatic went for their own B site push as the attackers. They paired their abilities perfectly and finished the tournament with a flawless round victory.
READ MORE: Valorant Champions 2023 will be held in North America in Gekko’s hometown
