FunPlus Phoenix won VCT EU Challengers One today with a three-map stomping of Guild Esports, highlighted by an unbelievable Reyna game from Pontus “Zyppan” Eek on Icebox.
This VALORANT series started off on Ascent, Guild’s pick, but FPX quickly took control. They snagged the first four rounds of the map and never squandered their lead for a moment, taking map one 13-9. This took the series to FPX’s first pick, Icebox, where Zyppan put on a show.
The young star from Sweden usually plays Raze while occasionally taking on Sage duties. He’s played Reyna a couple of times before in pro matches but has never had a map like this. He posted 33 kills, only 10 deaths, and an unreal 523 average combat score—one of the highest ever registered in a top-tier pro game. He had multi-kills in 10 of the 18 rounds played and destroyed Guild as part of a 13-5 win.
Down 2-0, Guild needed to rally on another of their map picks, Split. But they looked just as lost as they had all series. FPX dominated their attacking side in the first half, 10-2, with Zyppan posting 17 kills at halftime on Raze. Winning the second half pistol was the final nail in the coffin. FPX took Split 13-4 and the grand finals 3-0.
The good news for Guild, despite the loss, is that their ticket to the EMEA Challengers Final has already been booked. Guild and FPX will wait for two more European teams to joining them from Challengers Two, as well as three teams from Turkey and one from the CIS region.
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