Victory for Fnatic at VCT 2024: EMEA Stage 2
24 July 2024
Fnatic is one of the United Kingdom’s successful and best-known esports organisations and they just confirmed once again why that is. After winning the VALORANT Champions Tour (VCT) 2024: EMEA Stage 1 back in May of this year, they now also clinched the title in Stage 2. That makes it back-to-back VCT EMEA victories for the London-based outfit, who did not look like making it two victories in a row in the group Stage of the 2024 VCT: EMEA Stage 2 after finishing third in their group and entering in the Knockout Round.
No top 2 for Fnatic in Group Stage
As we wrote above, Fnatic finished third in the 2024 VCT: EMEA Stage 2 Group Stage and that was largely due to a shaky start. They started well, beating Team Heretics from Spain 2-0, but then went on to lose three games in a row. It started with a defeat at the hands of British-Spanish organisation GIANTX, followed by losses against French esports organisation Gentle Mates and Spanish team Movistar KOI (which was co-founded by former FC Barcelona defender Gerard Piqué in 2021).
By winning the remaining six games in a row, Fnatic managed to stay in the tracks of Turkish organisation FUT Esports, who finished in second place, and formerly mentioned Team Heretics, who went on to win the Group Stage of 2024 VCT: EMEA Stage 2. For Fnatic, this meant that they would have to survive the Knockout Round if they wanted to reach the Semifinals. Fortunately for the UK esports organisation, things started clicking better once the knock-out stage was reach, resulting in a 2-1 win over French team Karmine Corp.
Flawless in the knock-out stage
Their victory over Karmine Corp earned Fnatic a spot in the Upper Bracket Semifinals, where FUT Esports were waiting. The Turks has been in good form up until that point, but they were no match for the British side. They needed just two maps to dispose of FUT, with map 1 (Sunset) a tight affair before Fnatic crushed them on map 2 (Haven).
After that, it was time for the Upper Bracket Final against Team Vitality from France and the game went along similar lines as Fnatic’s earlier Semifinal. Map 1 (Lotus) was still close with the British team winning 11-13, but the French were no match on map 2 (Sunset): 6-13. This meant that the Grand Final of 2024 VCT: EMEA Stage 2.
The Grand Final turned out to be a repeat of the Upper Bracket Finals with Fnatic facing off against Team Vitality, who won the Lower Bracket Final against Team Heretics. The French put up more of a fight this time, though they went down 13-8 on the first map (Haven). They then clinched map 2 (Ascent) 9-13, before succumbing to Fnatic’s superior power. The UK organisation booked back-to-back victories (13-9 on Lotus and 13-3 on Bind) to add the 2024 VCT: EMEA Stage 2 title to their ever-growing list of VALORANT victories.