Team Liquid punch ticket to VCT EMEA Stage 2 grand final with win over BBL

The VCT EMEA Stage 2 playoffs delivered plenty of drama today as Team Liquid outlasted BBL Esports in a nail-biting three-map series to book their place in the grand finals. The victory also carried a major ripple effect across the region, confirming Team Heretics’ qualification for VALORANT Champions 2025 in Paris.

BBL entered this clash brimming with confidence after eliminating heavyweights Fnatic and Team Heretics earlier in the bracket. Their momentum was evident right from the start on Ascent, their map pick, where they took a 7-5 lead at halftime. They briefly surged ahead 9-8, but Liquid’s trademark composure came through as they rallied to win five of the next six rounds, closing out the opener 13-10.

On Liquid’s pick, Sunset, the script flipped. BBL stormed into an early lead before TL clawed their way back into contention, but the Turkish side delivered in the clutch, edging out key late rounds to level the series 1-1. Here, sociablEE produced a monster performance for the ages—dropping a 36/15/1 KDA and a staggering 411 ACS, one of the most dominant individual map showings in recent EMEA history.

That set up a do-or-die decider on Bind, where BBL once again seized early control. They led 7-5 at halftime and pushed ahead 11-8, coming within touching distance of a historic upset. But Liquid weren’t done yet. Russian star nAts pulled off a must-win ace to tie things up at 12-12, a clutch play that completely shifted the series’ momentum. Riding that spark, Liquid took both overtime rounds to secure a dramatic 14-12 win and a 2-1 series victory.

For Team Heretics, the result was almost as sweet. With Liquid’s triumph, Heretics officially locked up EMEA’s third qualification spot for VALORANT Champions Paris, ensuring their journey as last year’s runners-up against Edward Gaming wasn’t in vain. Fittingly, Liquid’s paTiTek—himself a former Heretics player—played a crucial role in the win that kept his old squad’s Champions hopes alive.

Meanwhile, in the lower bracket, GIANTX outlasted NAVI in another three-map showdown, though this one unfolded very differently. NAVI started strong, racing to a 9-3 halftime lead on Icebox before sealing it 13-6, with hiro (19/8/3) and Ruxic (20/10/4) leading the charge. But GIANTX refused to fold. On their Sunset pick, Ara exploded with a 23/9/3 performance to power his team to a dominant 13-6 victory.

That momentum carried into the decider on Haven, where GIANTX dismantled NAVI 13-4 to seal the series and advance. NAVI, on the other hand, bowed out of the season, falling short of Champions qualification.

Now, all eyes shift to tomorrow’s lower bracket final—a best-of-five clash between GIANTX and BBL Esports. The stakes couldn’t be higher: the winner not only secures a ticket to the grand finals against Team Liquid but also claims VCT EMEA’s final slot at Champions Paris. For GIANTX, it’s a chance to return to the world stage after their 2023 Champs run, while for BBL, it’s a shot at making history with their first-ever Champions qualification.