KRU Esports slingshot into VCT Champions playoff after upsetting Sentinels

KRU Esports astounded Sentinels in an exhilarating three-map series, coming from the verge of losing everything only to turn around and send a highly-favored VCT Champions home.

Sentinels controlled the boards up early and had no trouble navigating through the arsenals of the defense side. Multiple site entry points were a piece of cake but momentum turnaround with big plays from the opposing teams proved to be a deciding factor.  A classic David and Goliath move that proved to down KRU’s own Jett star, NagZet, surprisingly with only two first-half kills in addition to a -4 first blood NagZet to first death proportion.

The second phase was more of the same show of supremacy from Sentinels, a too common feat with ShahZaM attacking into sites as Breach and collecting most of the kills as well. KRU had no remedy for this onslaught of a quagmire for the extraordinary Breach/Skye pair that ShahZaM and SicK passed to the server. Dapr on Killjoy locking down and Sentinels rode to a 13-7 victory over Fracture. The star, NagZet had just a disappointing four kills on map one.

KRU’s opening on Haven was muted early by Sentinels in the following round with a revolting triple from TenZ on the Marshal. The prior half was eventually decided by Sentinels players making some pronounced distinct plays in close situations from similar TenZ, SicK, and ShahZaM. The NA side closed out with 17 kills just from one SicK player.

KRU got a primary start on their offensive side, closely winning the pistol round, avoiding the anti-eco from Sentinels, and just barely holding off the Sentinels repeat in their bonus round by mere 0.09 seconds to even out the map at 8-8. Sentinels tripped in the face of a forceful side, falling behind 11-8 without a single defensive round to their name. But Sentinels recovered back with a series of A holds to force a draw on the map ending 11-11.

 NagZet answered with an immense 4K to fight what was forming up to be an all-familiar TenZ showcase, handing KRU a 12-11 lead and ending Sentinels’ stock. KRU then captured into the C site with virtually no opposition, capturing the map 13-11 and driving the series to Split.

In an anxious map three, with a playoff at stake, the two sides exchanged back and forth to begin the first half. But the bottom half of the first was governed by some solid Sentinels aggressive series, with a great execution from dapr and the team. Sentinels prevailed on six of seven first-half series to take an 8-4 driver’s seat into the break-half.

KRU secured another colossal round, their fourth continuing of the rounds, prior to an enormous effectively-executed NagZet Spectre energy in the bonus round triggering their offensive side. The KRU Jett star produced over again in a vital round with a late Heaven edge during an A push to give his team the driver’s seat in almost a parallel concert of Haven. But consecutive rounds from dapr stemmed the tide, matching the map even at 10-10. They exchanged two crucial rounds to a draw at 11-11, and in an expedient battle between dapr and NagZet, KRU’s Jett proved victory, 12-11. A merciless blast into B left unreciprocated by Sentinels and KRU completed the unimaginable to claim Split 13-11 and the series 2-1.

It was a monumental win for KRU, who reached the quarterfinals in both Reykjavik and Berlin, only this time, they took down a titan to get there.

"I feel great that we beat them. Everyone's free to think whatever they want, and I'm not one to judge, but at the end of the day, everything comes back in this life. It came back for him today," Keznit answered.

Throughout the week, Sentinels' Zombs threw heat towards the Brazilian region, ultimately hyping up the series against KRU, looking to avenge their LATAM brethren.

"This win is for LATAM united, both LATAM and Brazil. I feel like we have to be together in at least one game and Valorant is it." KRU stated in a scrum interview following the series.

KRU become the first team external to Europe to qualify for the playoffs of VCT Champions. The final group stage day will be played on Tuesday, Dec. 6. NA fans will cheer for Envy and Cloud9 Blue to reach the summit after this historic upset.

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Images via VALORANT flickr.