VALORANT Champions Tour Masters Shanghai 2024 kicked off with a thrilling match between G2 Esports and their international rivals T1 today. The intense opener saw G2 triumph with a 3-1 victory, showcasing their resilience as they overcame T1 after a nail-biting overtime finish.
After the first action-packed stage in the global VALORANT competitive scene, the 12 best teams in the world are finally colliding at VCT Masters Shanghai 2024. And today, the competition began with one of the most exciting international rivalries spanning multiple titles: G2 vs. T1.Â
Similar to their League of Legends match at MSI 2024, today’s clash at Masters Shanghai did not disappoint. Kicking off the tournament on Breeze, where rounds were traded back and forth, T1 initially took the lead on their supposed best map. But after the side switch, G2 commanded the sandy shores of Breeze, ultimately claiming the first map of the tournament.
T1 retaliated on Icebox, dominating G2 with an almost perfect map score. T1 racked up 11 rounds on the attacking side, with G2 only winning one as their opponent became too aggressive and slipped. But even on defense, T1 took two consecutive rounds, thus winning 13-1 to even the match score and bring it to a decisive third game.
And then the fun began.
The two teams went head-to-head on Lotus, unleashing their full potential to try to secure the first win of VCT Masters Shanghai. After exchanging blows, they reached overtime, giving fans everything they dreamed of for the opening match of the competition.Â
But after being tied at 12-12, G2 swiftly won the 25th round on attack and closed out the game by winning the next round on defense, capitalizing on T1’s aggressive but careless play on the A site. And thus, in the blink of an eye, G2 conquered the map and won the first match of VCT Masters Shanghai.
Similar to Masters Madrid, the teams in Shanghai start the tournament in an exciting Swiss stage, which will lead to a do-or-die double-elimination bracket to decide the champion of the competition. With this format, even today’s loss does not signify elimination for T1, who will look to earn their first win soon.
