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Istanbul Wildcats Are Champions Of EMEA Masters Spring

It was the grand finals of EMEA Masters Spring 2023. With Unicorns Of Love SE facing Istanbul Wildcats, no holds were barred in the finals. Check out who won the tournament and how the action turned out only at Gamopo!

Finals Of EMEA Masters Spring 2023

Rosters

Unicorns Of Love Sexy Edition

  • Iwan ‘Venour’ Skorikov (Top)
  • Lee ‘Peach’ Min-gyu (Jungle)
  • Lee ‘Mask’ Sang-hoon (Mid)
  • Johannes ‘Fun K3y’ Werner (Bot)
  • Alexander ‘Lekcyc’ Lexikov (Support)

Istanbul Wildcats

  • Yoon ‘Destroy’ Jeong-min (Top)
  • Taha ‘Elramir’ Yurdagüven (Jungle)
  • Emre ‘Yzn’ Akça (Mid)
  • Jeong ‘BAO’ Hyeon-woo (Bot)
  • Polat ‘Parus’ Furkan Çiçek (Support)

The Series

Match 1

The first match of the finals of EMEA Masters Spring 2023 started with USE starting on blue side. The match didn’t take to long to get rolling as Elramir picked up the kill of Mask heading into the 5th minute. A well-timed execution at mid made the first blood possible. But IW didn’t take too long to respond to that either. This time it was Fun K3Y who avenged his teammate by slaying Parus. On the 9th minute, a hook from Parus helped BAO pick up the kill of Peach on the botlane. IW also managed to pick up the first dragon of the game in the next minute. The roster continued to pressurize their opponents by deploying the Rift Herald on the midlane in the 13th minute. But that was not enough as BAO soon picked up a double kill for himself. The 16th minute saw the team picking up their second dragon. IW picked up their first turret in the 20th minute.

The Wildcats from Istanbul continued to steamroll over as they picked up their third dragon in the 22nd minute after winning a teamfight. IW won yet another teamfight 2 minutes after taking 3 kills and conceding 2 of their players. But the 26th minute saw USE finally winning a teamfight of their own by slaying BAO and Kofte. They continued to gain a bit more momentum by taking their first dragon soon after. It was followed up by destroying the first tower of IW. In the meantime, the gold lead was handed over to Unicorns Of Love. What followed soon was undoubtedly the best teamfight of the match with the Unicorns winning and ultimately slaying the Baron Nashor. Capitalizing the Baron buff, USE exposed the defense of IW. However, it was their greed to push too much and end the game that resulted in four of their players being killed. Eventually, in the 39th minute, the Unicorns took down the Nexus of the Wildcats winning their first match.

Match 2

It was now the Wildcats’ turn to start on the blue side of the map. But they started the match on the wrong foot as Peach took first blood heading into the 4th minute. Unicorns responded by taking the first dragon in the 7th minute but Peach came knocking again, this time slaying Parus and BAO for a double kill. USE seemed to focus more on objectives as they secured their second dragon in the 12th minute. Peach picked up his third kill of the match by taking down Destroy this time at the top lane. The Unicorns picked up their first turret of the match but Peach had to be sacrificed right before. Meanwhile, it was IW that slayed their first dragon.

Disaster soon struck for IW as the Unicorns had obtained their first ace of the night and also took the bot turrets. Doing so, USE were sitting on a massive 7k gold lead over their opponents. The 22nd minute saw Mask finding himself in murky waters giving away his life to USE. USE continued to focus on objectives as they took their third dragon in the 24th minute. They went straight for the Baron in the 26th minute after taking down BAO and Elramir in a teamfight. The defense of IW was soon exposed as USE took the first inhibitor turret along with the inhibitor. On the cusp of the 29th minute, Unicorns took their fourth dragon of the night. With three more kills secured in front of their own Nexus, USE soon tore down their final line of defense and picked up their second match of the night.

Match 3

The third match of the series didn’t take long at all to get started. The 3rd minute saw the first teamfight take place with IW’s Elramir getting first blood. The Wildcats came out on top getting two kills there while USE also took one. Soon in the 6th minute, the second teamfight broke out and IW came out on top again as they took down Peach and Fun K3Y. Parus continued to harass the Unicorns as his grab helped Elramir take down Peach. It was now Lekcyc’s turn to return to base as another hook from Parus landed just right. Heading into the 11th minute, IW took their first dragon. Right after, USE destroyed the first turret of the match.

Despite the lead for IW in terms of kills, there was barely a gold difference between the two teams. The 12th minute saw Kofte taking down Mask thanks to… you guessed it! Another hook from Parus! A teamfight on the cusp of the 14th minute saw Wildcats picking up two more kills. IW picked up their second dragon of the match in the 16th minute. A teamfight in the 17th minute saw both teams trade in two of their players each. The Unicorns seemed to be getting into the flow as they soon picked up three kills back to back. Despite that, IW got their first Baron in the 22nd minute. IW soon went full aggression mode as they picked up an ace over their opponents. They also picked up another dragon in the 27th minute. A swift 4k by BAO soon ensured a smooth entry into the defense of Wildcats and that was IW’s first win of the night.

Match 4

The fourth match saw IW now starting on the red side. Both teams started off a little slow this time as the first blood came in the 9th minute courtesy of Kofte. The Unicorns soon responded by taking down Parus. BAO soon picked up the kill of Fun K3Y but he was avenged by his teammate, Peach. Kofte soon picked up his second kill by sending Mask back to the base. BAO and Kofte continued to wreak havoc as they took two more kills. Meanwhile, they also earned their first dragon of the match. This time it was Destroy’s turn to pick a kill and that was of Fun K3Y.

A tussle in the midlane saw Destroy pick up the life of Peach. Within the 20th minute, IW picked up their second dragon of the match. With things going back and forth, it was now Kofte again under the spotlight as he picked up the kill of Mask. On the cusp of the 26th minute, the Wildcats not only took Baron but also a sweet little ace to take down the nexus of Unicorns. It was now time for game 5!

Match 5

It was now time for the final showdown. The action kicked off from the 5th minute as Destroy picked up the first blood of the final match. The Wildcats continued to lead early game as they picked up the first dragon along with a kill on Peach. The 9th minute saw the lives of Parus and Fun K3Y being traded in at the bot lane. But Wildcat BAO was soon caught in a sticky situation as Peach took his life. Things continued to tumble down for Unicorns as it now Lekcyc this time who had to give up his life to BAO. Another fight at the midlane on the 14th minute saw both Lekcyc and Kofte being sent back to base.

IW continued to keep their cool as they kept targeting objectives one after the other maintaining a healthy gold lead. In the 21st minute, Wildcats picked up their third dragon. But the 23rd minute of the match came bearing bad news for IW as a teamfight around Baron went in favor of the Unicorns as they got three kills. Even though the Unicorns couldn’t get Baron, it was still a win for them. But they couldn’t smile for long as the 27th minute came bearing not only an ace but also a free Baron for the Wildcats. It was the 29th minute that put the final nail in the coffin of the Unicorns as the Wildcats picked up yet another ace. Thanks to that, they went straight for the nexus and it was game over there and then! The Wildcats made an amazing comeback from being down two matches to being crowned the champions of EMEA Masters Spring 2023!

It’s another good news for Turkish fans after Fnatic’s Valorant roster dominate another day at the VCT EMEA 2023. But for now it’s time to celebrate the glory of Istanbul Wildcats! They have showed that while Unicorns maybe magical- it’s the roar of the Wildcats that matters the most!

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Fnatic & NaVi Pick Up Wins On Week 5 Of VCT EMEA

We have just been done and dusted with the final day of week 5 of VCT EMEA 2023. As we had already predicted before, Fnatic & NaVi will be walking out of the arena as victors and that is exactly what happened. Let’s check out how the matches turned out here at Gamopo!

Fnatic & NaVi Get The W

FUT Esports vs Fnatic

Rosters

FUT Esports
  • Buğra ‘mojj’ Kiraz
  • Doğukan ‘qRaxs’ Balaban
  • Konur ‘qw1’ Alp Şahin
  • Furkan ‘MrFaliN’ Yeğen
  • Ata ‘ATA KAPTAN’ Tan
Fnatic
  • Jake ‘Boaster’ Howlett
  • Nikita ‘Derke’ Sirmitev
  • Emir ‘Alfajer’ Ali Beder
  • Leo ‘Leo’ Jannesson
  • Timofey ‘Chronicle’ Khromov

Map Picks & Bans

  • FNC ban Pearl
  • FUT ban Fracture
  • FNC pick Icebox
  • FUT pick Lotus
  • FNC ban Split
  • FUT ban Ascent
  • Haven remains

The Series

Map 1  (Icebox)

The first map of the night was Icebox which is Fnatic’s favorite playground. Fnatic started the map off just the way they wanted- winning the first two rounds. However, FUT Esports was quick to respond as they won the next four rounds at a stretch. The rest of the first half was pretty much Fnatic making a comeback. The first half ended 7-5 in favor of Fnatic.

As the sides were changed, Fnatic really put their game faces on and put up a way better performance on attack. They needed only 6 more rounds to pick up the map and that’s exactly what they did. Fnatic picked up all of the rounds on attack and won on Icebox. It was none other than Alfajer that put on a stellar performance for his team.

Map 2 (Lotus)

It was now time to show up at FUT’s map pick of Lotus. Fnatic stuck by their game plan and chose not to go for an atypical team composition. Fnatic started Lotus on the right foot by winning the first two rounds yet again. While they couldn’t follow up by winning the bonus round, they made amends by making sure FUT can’t pick up consecutive rounds. The first half ended 8-4 in favor of Fnatic.

Heading into the second half, FUT was in a rather uncomfortable position. They had to recollect themselves and get their strategies right in order to make a comeback. But that’s quite the herculean task against this Fnatic roster! Fnatic kept their composure and won Lotus 13-5. With the second map done and dusted, it was a comfortable 2-0 victory for the Turkish giants.

Team Vitality vs. Natus Vincere

Rosters

Team Vitality
  • Jokūbas ‘ceNder’ Labutis
  • Santeri ‘BONECOLD’ Sassi
  • Michał ‘MOLSI’ Łącki
  • Tomas ‘Destrian’ Linikas
  • Karel ‘Twisten’ Ašenbrener
Natus Vincere
  • Kyrylo ‘ANGE1’ Karasov
  • Mehmet ‘cNed’ Yağız İpek
  • Dmitry ‘SUYGETSU’ Ilyushin
  • Andrey ‘Shao’ Kiprsky
  • Pontus ‘Zyppan’ Eek

Map Picks & Bans

  • VIT ban Pearl
  • NAVI ban Haven
  • VIT pick Split
  • NAVI pick Fracture
  • VIT ban Icebox
  • NAVI ban Lotus
  • Ascent remains
Map 1 (Split)

Vitality’s first pick of Split wasn’t a surprise at all as they have tons of experience on that map. But NaVi’s start on Split surely made Vitality scratch their heads. A determined NaVi roster made sure that they won the first pistol rounds. While they did concede their bonus round, they kept the momentum on their side throughout the first half. And that is why the first half finished 9-3 in favor of NaVi.

The second half saw Vitality recollecting themselves and putting on a better show. CeNder and Twisten tried their level best to bring their team back into the match. An impressive comeback was on the horizon as Team Vitality almost equaled the scores at 10-11. However, the NaVi team made sure not to drag it any further and picked up two rounds to win their first map of the night.

Map 2 (Fracture)

It was now time for the two teams to play on NaVi’s map pick. With Vitality starting on defense, they picked up the first two pistol rounds. But NaVi soon leveled the score 2-2 by winning the next two rounds. It was Vitality again in the driver’s seat as they won two rounds of their own. But the rest of the first half saw NaVi dominate. The first half was over with NaVi up 7-5.

The second half came with intense neck and neck competition. Vitality won the first round but couldn’t follow it up with the next round. The following rounds saw things go back and forth as both looked desperate to win on Fracture. But Vitality eventually caught up to Natus Vincere with the score line reading 10-10. At this point, one of the teams had to step up and it was NaVi.  They picked up the next three rounds without flinching and won the map 13-10. As expected, NaVi came out on top!

The VCT EMEA 2023 action returns on Wednesday with Team Vitality set to face Fnatic. NaVi will face Team Liquid next in about a week’s worth of time. Can both Fnatic & NaVi continue their domination at the VCT EMEA 2023?

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VCT EMEA 2023 Week 5 Final Day Predictions

We are heading our way into the final day of week 5 of VCT EMEA 2023. With FUT Esports facing Fnatic and Team Vitality going up against Natus Vincere, who will be our winners of the night? We bring you our VCT EMEA predictions of the day!

VCT EMEA Predictions

Our two matchups of the day are FUT Esports vs Fnatic & Team Vitality vs Natus Vincere. Check out the timings and be sure to tune in!

FUT Esports vs Fnatic

Rosters

FUT Esports
  • Buğra ‘mojj’ Kiraz
  • Doğukan ‘qRaxs’ Balaban
  • Konur ‘qw1’ Alp Şahin
  • Furkan ‘MrFaliN’ Yeğen
  • Ata ‘ATA KAPTAN’ Tan
Fnatic
  • Jake ‘Boaster’ Howlett
  • Nikita ‘Derke’ Sirmitev
  • Emir ‘Alfajer’ Ali Beder
  • Leo ‘Leo’ Jannesson
  • Timofey ‘Chronicle’ Khromov

Prediction

Let’s kick off our VCT EMEA Predictions with our prediction on FUT Esports vs Fnatic. According to the current standings of the tournament, Fnatic are at the top of the table thanks to their unbeaten run. Meanwhile, FUT Esports are sitting currently on fourth position. The biggest flex for Fnatic so far at the tournament is the fact they have lost only one map so far. They have been spotless despite not being able to play with their preferred lineup in the opening week. But Alfajer is back after his visa issues have been sorted. Their confidence is further boosted knowing that FUT is heading into this match after losing their last one 2-0 against Giants.

The two teams have not faced each other in a competitive match before. A lot will rest on the shoulders of qw1 today as his team hopes that he puts on a terrific show. Keeping Fnatic’s dominant form in consideration, we honestly don’t see how Fnatic will bottle this matchup. We’re predicting a rather comfortable 2-0 victory for Fnatic.

Check out more esports news at our blog!

Team Vitality vs Natus Vincere

Rosters

Team Vitality
  • Jokūbas ‘ceNder’ Labutis
  • Santeri ‘BONECOLD’ Sassi
  • Michał ‘MOLSI’ Łącki
  • Tomas ‘Destrian’ Linikas
  • Karel ‘Twisten’ Ašenbrener
Natus Vincere
  • Kyrylo ‘ANGE1’ Karasov
  • Mehmet ‘cNed’ Yağız İpek
  • Dmitry ‘SUYGETSU’ Ilyushin
  • Andrey ‘Shao’ Kiprsky
  • Pontus ‘Zyppan’ Eek

Prediction

Our second VCT EMEA prediction is of the matchup between rivals Vitality and NaVi. Natus Vincere is currently sitting pretty at second on the table with Team Vitality on fifth position. So, it goes without saying that NaVi have turned more heads at the tournament so far. They are on a four-match winning streak and don’t look to give that up any time soon.

These two teams have only faced each other once before at the G-Loot Valorant Clash where NaVi won 2-0. On paper NaVi are definitely the better team on Valorant and their current form certainly says so. Vitality is expected to put up a fight but Zyppan & co. should walk away from this series with a 2-1 win over their opponents.

 

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