VCT EMEA LCQ: NAVI claim the final golden ticket to Champions after comfortable win over KOI

KOI face NAVI in the VCT EMEA LCQ once more in the Lower Bracket final. Tensions will be high for both teams as the winner of this match will claim the second ticket to Champions LA, with the first already secured by Giants.

This is a match you won't want to miss, so make sure you keep an eye on this page for all of the latest scores and updates.

KOI fell short in their 2 - 1 loss to Giants in the Upper Bracket final. Having had the first Champions slot slip through their grasp they will be doubly determined to make sure that they can get themselves over the line this time.

They have beaten NAVI twice already this season, including their resounding 2 - 0 win earlier in the LCQ bracket. But now that they find themselves with their backs up against the wall, and in a best-of-five format, their are going to have to dig even deeper into their strategy book if they are to claim that final spot.

NAVI were victorious in their last match on the Messe Berlin stage, beating Karmine Corp 2 - 1. They looked a sight better than they did in their loss to KOI earlier in the tournament, but they still found themselves prone to a mistake or two.

While they have yet to beat KOI this season, the players on this roster are more than capable of coming out on top in what could be a grueling best-of-five series. But with the fate of their season on the line in this match, the question facing this side will be whether they or not they muster the strength of yesteryear to get themselves over the line.

This is a matchup that produced plenty of thrills and spills already this season. Will it be third time lucky for NAVI, or will KOI be able to muster up enough strength to get themselves over the line here in the LCQ? We cannot wait to see how this match goes.

We begin the match with a trip to Split, curtesy of KOI. NAVI go with for an aggressive composition comprising of two duelists alongside Shao's Cypher. Whereas KOI go for their tried and true double controller, double-duelist composition.

KOI win the first pistol round of the map as well as their anti-eco to get themselves going on their defensive half. NAVI respond well to deny KOI their bonus round and they are able to tie things up early at 3 - 3. The map becomes a battle of wits and NAVI attempt to dictate the flow of the game. But KOI stand strong on their defense, with Trexx managing to combo his early and mid-round aggression with the effective utility usage on display from Koldamenta and Sheydos. NAVI manage to keep things close, but it is KOI who come out of the first half with a 7 - 5 lead.

NAVI take the second pistol round as well as their anti-eco to tie things up on Split once more. And it doesn't take them long to establish a lead of their own as KOI fall victim to the shear might of cNed and Zyppan. NAVI hit the double digit mark and look to be pulling out of sight of their opponents. But a thrifty win as well as an incredible clutch from Koldamenta keeps KOI alive on the map. NAVI manages to reach map point, but KOI continues to linger in the background as they attempt to prevent their opponents from taking their pick away from them. And those hopes come to fruition as KOI are able to push the game into overtime.

Zyppan opens up overtime with an explosive 4k to put NAVI back onto map point. KOI had done their best to push the map into overtime. But unfortunately that was all they were able to muster in the end. Leaving NAVI to take Split 14 - 12 and give themselves a 1 - 0 lead in the series.

After a statement win on Split, NAVI bring us over to Pearl for the second game of this series. Both teams go with relatively similar double-initiator agent compositions, with the key difference being ANGE1 rocking the Sova instead of Shao.

NAVI take the opening pistol round as well as their anti-eco to give them an early lead in the first half. KOI manage to respond by denying NAVI their bonus round, albeit in a costly fashion. KOI manage to tie the game up at 2- 2. Only to have the round taken away due to a technical issue for one of the NAVI players. A situation which NAVI takes full advantage of as they extend their lead to 3 - 1.

The lead continues to grow for NAVI as cNed starts to heat up again in this series. KOI manage to get a second round on the board, but NAVI continue to pierce through their defensive setups as though they were a wet tissue. And just when it looks like things can't get worse for them, cNed pops up with an ace to cap off a 10 - 2 half for NAVI.

KOI take the second pistol round as well as their anti-eco as look to build back into this map. They manage to take the succeeding two rounds which enables them to half the deficit. But NAVI stand resolute on their defensive half as they reach map point at 12 - 7. KOI continue to hang on to this map by a thread as Starxo and Wolfen get them to the double digit mark. But they could only hold the tide back for so long. And, sure enough, NAVI end up walking away with a 13 - 10 win on Pearl to extend their lead in the series to 2 - 0.

Having succumbed to the might of NAVI on Pearl, KOI come into Fracture with their backs truly against the wall. Whereas NAVI find themselves one map away from reaching Champions 2023. And they opt to dive into the "Book of ANGE1" with their team comp for this map as cNed gets placed onto Killjoy. Whereas KOI go for a bog standard double-initiator compositon.

NAVI get their defensive half off to a good start by taking the first pistol round. They also come up with a flawless anti-eco before losing out on their bonus round. KOI manage to jump into the lead despite a slight blunder from Sheydos and Starxo in Round 6. Their lead grows to 7 - 3 as they continue to blitz their way through NAVI's defense. Thanks to the combined efforts of Starxo and Trexx. But Zyppan responds in kind for NAVI as they are able to limit KOI's first half lead to a manageable 7 - 5.

NAVI manage to snatch the second pistol round away from KOI thanks to the combined efforts of ANGE1 and Suygetsu. They also manage to convert on both their anti-eco and bonus rounds to put themselves ahead on the map. NAVI manage to hit double-digits after a series of very scrappy rounds between the two teams. And they get themselves onto match point soon after, with KOI in desperate need of a miracle. A wish that sadly for them, goes unfulfilled. Leaving Natus Vincere to take Fracture 13 - 9, allowing them to close out the series 3 - 0 and claim the final EMEA qualification slot at Champions 2023 in LA.

Three EMEA League teams have already secured their spots at Champions 2023 later this year. And thanks to Fnatic's victory at Masters Tokyo, there are a total of two spots up for grabs amongst the remaining six teams here at the VCT EMEA LCQ.

Fans who wish to watch the KOI vs NAVI VCT EMEA LCQ match may do so by heading to the league's Twitch and YouTube channels. You may also tune in via the embedded stream link down below.

Stay tuned to esports.gg for more esports news and VALORANT coverage throughout the VCT 2023 season.