MANILA, Philippines — Team Secret dispatched Brazil's Team Vikings, 2-0, to secure the last playoffs slot in Group C of the Valorant Champions.
The Filipino gamers displayed pure dominance with the first map seeing four straight rounds wins, leaving the Team Vikings in the dust at the half switch at 9-3. The Brazilian squad managed to hold on in the second half, securing three rounds but it was not enough to deter Team Secret, which eventually won the map, 13-6.
Team Vikings, hoping to force a decider, started the second map with two straight rounds hoping to deter the Filipinos but Team Secret answered back with six straight round wins, once again taking a huge lead. Come the switch, it was the same scenario with the first map with Team Secret taking down their last obstacle for the playoffs, 13-7.
Jayvee "DubsteP" Paguirigan credited Team Secret’s success to their first match against Gambit Esports.
"It was our first stage match. I have to give props to Gambit because they really taught us a lot in terms of experience. With Crazy Raccoons, Team Vikings, we're not as hyper as we were against Gambit. We felt like we should just calm down a little and play the game how it should be," he said in a post-match interview.
Team Secret will go against European team Acend in the first quarter final bout on December 9 (1 a.m., Manila Time).