It was the second day of VCT Champions 2025 in Paris, and it would be NRG’s first match in two years on the international stage as they went up against EDward Gaming (EDG).
This is the first time the two teams have ever faced each other in VCT.
NRG came into this match as the runner-up from VCT Americas, where they lost in the grand finals against G2 Esports.
EDG is also looking for redemption as they failed to make it to the Grand Finals after losing in the Losers' Final against Billibilli Gaming.
Both teams are looking for redemption after a tough loss in their region and join the race to become the VCT Champion.
EDG would kick off the match with their first map pick on Abyss.
EDG have played Abyss twice this season and have a 50 per cent win rate.
Unfortunately for NRG, this season they have played this map once and lost, leaving them with a zero per cent win rate.
With the advantage on EDG’s side, they would start the match on the attacking side, and NRG would be on the defensive.
The first half was a dominant half from EDG as they would push NRG to the limit, taking control of the match and taking a 10-2 lead in the half, with Smoggy leading at the half with 16 kills, 7 deaths and 5 assists.
In the second half, both teams would switch sides.
With NRG on the attack this time around, they would be able to turn the tide in their favour.
NRG would go on a miraculous 10-2 run in the second half, bringing the first map to overtime.
During overtime, both teams would go back and forth, trading round after round.
It wouldn’t be until round 31 that NRG would take it to match point, and at 16-15, NRG would close out the match swiftly and secure map one, winning it 17-15.
NRG’s Mada would take map MVP with 31 kills, 24 deaths, and four deaths.
After losing an exhausting map one, EDward Gaming would look to regroup before heading into map two.
The second map would be Corrode, NRG’s map pick.
EDG would start the map with two quick wins, but NRG would make a quick comeback and go on a 5-round win streak, making it 5-2.
EDG would cut the lead down to just 1 point, before both teams would meet in the middle and tie the game 6-6 at the half.
EDG’s Kang Kang would be leading the half with 11 kills, 7 deaths and 2 assists.
Going into the second half, EDG would try to build a significant lead to bring the match to map three on the defensive side.
Unfortunately, NRG would prove to be too strong on the attacking side, dominating the map and swiftly wiping out the Chinese team each round.
NRG would take Corrode 13-11 and would sweep EDG into the losers' bracket.
NRG’s Som would take map MVP with 23 kills, 17 deaths and 12 assists, but match MVP would go to his teammate Skuba with a total of 47 kills, 36 deaths and 14 assists.
NRG would wait for the winners of Team Liquid vs DRX, and EDward Gaming would face the losers of that match.
With this win, NRG proves that they have become stronger and deserve to be at the top.