A comprehensive recap of Valorant Masters Berlin Group B featuring Envy, Vivo Keyd, KRU Esports and ZETA Division.
As is often the case with draws, Valorant Masters Berlin threw everyone in a bunch, pitting two EMEA representatives in Group A. On the other hand, Group B was filled with the likes of Envy, KRU Esports, Vivo Keyd, and ZETA Division. Everyone billed Group B as a done deal, with Envy expected to sail through to the playoffs as the first seed.
The Storyline
However, Vivo Keyd almost pulled a shock upset on Icebox, with Envy having to save two map points before closing things out with a 14-12 scoreline. Split was a close affair as well, with Envy finding themselves only a round up at 10-9 at one point. However, the North American representatives rallied to win the next three rounds to secure a 13-9 win and a place in the Winners’ Bracket.
KRU Esports and ZETA Division had a series of extremes, with both teams often piecing together winning streaks on all three maps. KRU emerged victorious in the battle of momentum riders to set up a clash with Envy.
Envy made light work of KRU in the Valorant Masters Berlin Group B Winners’ Bracket to justify everyone’s expectations by grabbing the top seed from their Group. Vivo Keyd on the other hand continued their impressive display with a routine win over ZETA Division in the Group B eliminator.
The Group B decider was a South American affair, with KRU Esports locking horns with Vivo Keyd. Both the teams were evenly matched, with KRU’s tactical preparation giving them the edge needed to win the series. KRU also did their homework, purposely avoiding Vivo Keyd star Olavo “heat” Marcelo in an efficient manner. Thus, KRU ended up grabbing the second seed from Group B.
A Statistical Overview
Jaccob “yay” Whiteaker and heat lit up Berlin with their performances. The two players are in the top 3 of the best performing individuals in terms of the Average Combat Score, which highlights just how effectively aggressive they were for their respective teams.
The Group saw the teams play an average of between 20 to 21 rounds on each map, which is an insight into how tightly contested many of these were. Valorant Masters Berlin Group B turned out to be a classic esports hyperbole and despite low expectations, delivered exciting Valorant.
What to expect
Envy will go up against defending champions Sentinels in the Quarter-Finals. Envy have only faced Sentinels once since the acquisition of yay. But, yay’s addition to Envy’s roster does seem to have closed the gap between the two teams. Sentinels only managed a 13-11 scoreline on both maps in the 2-0 win over Envy in the VCT Stage 3: North American Challengers Playoffs. The duel between Tyson “TenZ” Ngo and yay should prove to be a treat for the neutrals.
Valorant Master Berlin Group B’s second seed, KRU Esports will face G2 Esports. The EMEA representatives recently handed Sentinels their first map and series defeat on LAN and will be eager to bank on the momentum gained from the victory. KRU though, have shown they have a penchant for preparation and could surprise G2, if they are not careful. Angelo “keznit” Mori’s utility usage on the Raze is something that could cause G2 a lot of trouble.
Vivo Keyd performed admirably and have qualified for Valorant Champions thanks to the 225 Circuit points received for a top 12 finish in Berlin. ZETA Division, on the other hand, will be present at the APAC Last Chance Qualifiers in an attempt to make it to Valorant Champions.
