In the second match of VCT Champions 2025 in Paris, we see the battle between Sentinels and GiantX.
Both teams entered the match looking for a fresh start after failing to capture gold in their respective regions.
Sentinels got third after losing to NRG, and GiantX became the runner-up to Team Liquid in the Grand Finals of VCT Stage 2.
Though both failed to bring home any hardware, they were still able to qualify for VCT Champions.
Sentinels are looking to make another lengthy run at champions and hope to lift the trophy this time around, but before they can dream about winning it all, they have to face GiantX.
Heading into map one, it would be Sentinels map pick in Corrode.
Sentinels would have a 3-1 record on Corrode with a 75 per cent win rate, as for GiantX, they would have a 2-1 record with a 67 per cent win rate on the four-month-old map.
GiantX would start the match on the defensive side, and Sentinels would be on the attacking side.
The first half was a back-and-forth battle between the two teams that saw them almost trade rounds at one point.
They would end the first half tied at 6-6, and even if they were similar in score, the performance from the players was night and day as Sentinels Zekken led the pack in the first half with 9 kills, 8 deaths and 4 assists.
Going into the second half, they would switch sides, and Sentinels would come out swinging.
Sentinels would go on a 7-round win streak, absolutely demolishing GiantX, by not allowing them a single round in the second half, leading to Sentinels taking map one with a score of 13-6.
With Sentinels having the better win rate on the map and a win rate of 74 per cent on the attacking side, it’s almost no surprise they were able to defeat GiantX on the map.
Zekken would run away with the map MVP with 20 kills, 13 deaths and 9 assists.
After losing map one in a blowout in the second half, GiantX were out for blood and wanted revenge.
The second map was Sunset, GiantX’s map pick.
GiantX had a 5-2 record on Sunset with a 71 per cent win rate, while Sentinels had a 6-5 record with only a 55 per cent win rate.
With GiantX having the advantage on Sunset, they would enter map 2 with some much-needed confidence.
GiantX would come out guns blazing on the defensive side, with so much pressure on Sentinels, the North American team would soon crumble as GiantX dominantly took the first half.
Entering the half with a 10-2 score, GiantX sent sentinels scrambling, with GiantX’s Cloud leading his team with 14 kills, 6 deaths and 4 assists.
Sentinels would be on the defensive side in the second half and would start with two rounds under their belt.
It looked like they were trying to mount a comeback, but it wouldn’t be enough as GiantX would close out the game, winning three rounds in a row afterwards.
Cloud would take map MVP with 23 kills, 9 deaths and 5 assists.
With a score of 13-4, GiantX would get their revenge and tie the match one a piece.
Both teams beat each other in blowouts, and as they headed to the decider map, Haven fans knew at this point it would be an even match-up.
GiantX this season didn’t have any positives when it went to Haven with a record of 5-5 on the map and a 50 per cent win rate.
Sentinels would be luckier as they had a record of 6-4 and a win rate of 60 per cent; it looked like Sentinels had the advantage in this decider.
Sentinels started strong on the attacking side, winning 6-rounds in a row.
GiantX would answer back, though, winning four rounds in a row before Sentinels would close the first half by winning another two rounds.
With the score at the half being 8-4 in Sentinels' favour, it looked like they were on the right track, with Zekken leading Sentinels with 13 kills, 7 deaths and 3 assists.
With both teams switching sides in the final half of this match, GiantX would look to even the match-up.
GiantX on the attacking side would go on a miraculous run, with a 5-round win streak in the second half.
Sentinels would break the streak, taking a round away from GiantX, expecting it would cool down the EMEA team.
GiantX would continue after that, winning four rounds in a row to close out the game with a score of 13-9.
GiantX’s Ara would get map MVP with 22 kills, 17 deaths and 6 assists.
Though it would be Ara’s teammate Cloud who would take match MVP with 51 kills, 36 deaths and 15 assists.
GiantX will face Paper Rex, and if they win, GiantX will advance into the playoffs.
For Sentinels, they will have to fight their way into the playoffs now.
If they can win two games in a row, they will advance, but they will need to beat XLG to do so.