Valorant: Team SMG fall to reigning champs G2 Gozen

Mark Demayo, ABS-CBN News

<div class='embed-wrap'><figure data-feedback='fb:likes,fb:comments'><img alt='Team SMG huddle on stage at the 2023 VALORANT Game Changers Championship Quarterfinals in São Paulo, Brazil on November 29, 2023. Photo by Adela Sznajder/Riot Games' src='https://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2023/sports/11/30/20231130-valorant.jpg' ><figcaption>Team SMG huddle on stage at the 2023 VALORANT Game Changers Championship Quarterfinals in São Paulo, Brazil on November 29, 2023. Photo by Adela Sznajder/Riot Games</figcaption></figure></div>The winning streak ends for Southeast Asian squad Team SMG, as defending champions G2 Gozen defeated them in the upper bracket semifinals of the 2023 Valorant Game Changers Championship in São Paulo, Brazil.Team SMG previously held a 35-0 win record built since the start of the year, recently defeating Evil Geniuses the previous day.<ul class='op-related-articles'>	<li><a href='https://news.abs-cbn.com/sports/11/29/23/valorant-team-smg-sweeps-in-their-2023-game-changers-championship-debut'>Valorant: Team SMG sweeps in their 2023 Game Changers Championship debut</a></li></ul>The European squad made a reverse sweep against the Asia Pacific representative, winning a nail-biting map 2 in Split at overtime (14-12) and dominating the decider map 3 in Haven (13-4), after losing the first map, their pick in Bind, at 8-13.Dutch duelist Petra "Petra" Stoker led the defending champs with 61 kills, 41, deaths, and 10 assists, while Filipina initiator Alexy "Alexy" Francisco led Asia Pacific's sole representative with 46 kills, 42 deaths, and 21 assists.In map 1, Bind, despite G2 winning the pistol and the following round, Team SMG were in control for the remainder of the game as they won multiple consecutive rounds with only a few rounds going to G2 in between.<blockquote class='twitter-tweet'>The 3K spray from <a href='https://twitter.com/kohaibi?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw'>@kohaibi</a> 💥 <a href='https://twitter.com/hashtag/VCTGameChangers?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw'>#VCTGameChangers</a> <a href='https://t.co/vxD980Kouo'>pic.twitter.com/vxD980Kouo</a>— VALORANT Champions Tour (@ValorantEsports) <a href='https://twitter.com/ValorantEsports/status/1729988169381396678?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw'>November 29, 2023</a></blockquote><script async src='https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js' charset='utf-8' type='text/javascript'></script>In map 2, Split, G2 had the upper hand in the first half despite the map being Team SMG's pick, ending the first half at 8-4.During the second half, the APAC champs mounts a comeback by winning seven straight rounds and winning a clutch round, thanks to Kelly "shirazi" Jaudian, to go overtime after G2 nearly ended the match.<blockquote class='twitter-tweet'>OVERTIME FORCED BY <a href='https://twitter.com/TeamSMGofficial?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw'>@TeamSMGofficial</a>! <a href='https://twitter.com/hashtag/VCTGameChangers?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw'>#VCTGameChangers</a> WATCH LIVE: <a href='https://t.co/io2c23u0BL'>https://t.co/io2c23u0BL</a> <a href='https://t.co/CUtMM7t6WE'>pic.twitter.com/CUtMM7t6WE</a>— VALORANT Champions Tour (@ValorantEsports) <a href='https://twitter.com/ValorantEsports/status/1730018387559158107?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw'>November 30, 2023</a></blockquote><script async src='https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js' charset='utf-8' type='text/javascript'></script>Despite the heroics of Team SMG, G2 ended the second map in two rounds, including the first knife kill in the tournament, courtesy of Filipino-German Vivian "roxi" Schilling.<blockquote class='twitter-tweet'>🔪👀 <a href='https://twitter.com/roxi_hime?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw'>@roxi_hime</a> <a href='https://twitter.com/hashtag/VCTGameChangers?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw'>#VCTGameChangers</a> <a href='https://t.co/heS2hnEyuo'>pic.twitter.com/heS2hnEyuo</a>— VALORANT Champions Tour (@ValorantEsports) <a href='https://twitter.com/ValorantEsports/status/1730019377486176629?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw'>November 30, 2023</a></blockquote><script async src='https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js' charset='utf-8' type='text/javascript'></script>In map 3, Haven, Team SMG couldn't replicate their previous success during their Game Changers Championship debut against Evil Genuises.The SEA squad were limited to 4 wins, without even winning a round during the second half. G2 Gozen capped off the match and series on a high note with an ace by Petra.The reigning champs moved on to the upper bracket finals of the tournament to face possibly fellow European squad, BBL Queens, or 2022 Game Changers finals rival, Shopify Rebellion.Meanwhile, Team SMG will continue their campaign through the lower bracket, where in their next match they must defeat the winner between KRÜ Blaze and Chao Hui EDward Gaming to keep their tournament hopes alive.

The European squad made a reverse sweep against the Asia Pacific representative, winning a nail-biting map 2 in Split at overtime (14-12) and dominating the decider map 3 in Haven (13-4), after losing the first map, their pick in Bind, at 8-13.Dutch duelist Petra "Petra" Stoker led the defending champs with 61 kills, 41, deaths, and 10 assists, while Filipina initiator Alexy "Alexy" Francisco led Asia Pacific's sole representative with 46 kills, 42 deaths, and 21 assists.In map 1, Bind, despite G2 winning the pistol and the following round, Team SMG were in control for the remainder of the game as they won multiple consecutive rounds with only a few rounds going to G2 in between.<blockquote class='twitter-tweet'>The 3K spray from <a href='https://twitter.com/kohaibi?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw'>@kohaibi</a> 💥 <a href='https://twitter.com/hashtag/VCTGameChangers?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw'>#VCTGameChangers</a> <a href='https://t.co/vxD980Kouo'>pic.twitter.com/vxD980Kouo</a>— VALORANT Champions Tour (@ValorantEsports) <a href='https://twitter.com/ValorantEsports/status/1729988169381396678?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw'>November 29, 2023</a></blockquote><script async src='https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js' charset='utf-8' type='text/javascript'></script>In map 2, Split, G2 had the upper hand in the first half despite the map being Team SMG's pick, ending the first half at 8-4.During the second half, the APAC champs mounts a comeback by winning seven straight rounds and winning a clutch round, thanks to Kelly "shirazi" Jaudian, to go overtime after G2 nearly ended the match.<blockquote class='twitter-tweet'>OVERTIME FORCED BY <a href='https://twitter.com/TeamSMGofficial?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw'>@TeamSMGofficial</a>! <a href='https://twitter.com/hashtag/VCTGameChangers?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw'>#VCTGameChangers</a> WATCH LIVE: <a href='https://t.co/io2c23u0BL'>https://t.co/io2c23u0BL</a> <a href='https://t.co/CUtMM7t6WE'>pic.twitter.com/CUtMM7t6WE</a>— VALORANT Champions Tour (@ValorantEsports) <a href='https://twitter.com/ValorantEsports/status/1730018387559158107?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw'>November 30, 2023</a></blockquote><script async src='https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js' charset='utf-8' type='text/javascript'></script>Despite the heroics of Team SMG, G2 ended the second map in two rounds, including the first knife kill in the tournament, courtesy of Filipino-German Vivian "roxi" Schilling.<blockquote class='twitter-tweet'>🔪👀 <a href='https://twitter.com/roxi_hime?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw'>@roxi_hime</a> <a href='https://twitter.com/hashtag/VCTGameChangers?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw'>#VCTGameChangers</a> <a href='https://t.co/heS2hnEyuo'>pic.twitter.com/heS2hnEyuo</a>— VALORANT Champions Tour (@ValorantEsports) <a href='https://twitter.com/ValorantEsports/status/1730019377486176629?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw'>November 30, 2023</a></blockquote><script async src='https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js' charset='utf-8' type='text/javascript'></script>In map 3, Haven, Team SMG couldn't replicate their previous success during their Game Changers Championship debut against Evil Genuises.The SEA squad were limited to 4 wins, without even winning a round during the second half. G2 Gozen capped off the match and series on a high note with an ace by Petra.The reigning champs moved on to the upper bracket finals of the tournament to face possibly fellow European squad, BBL Queens, or 2022 Game Changers finals rival, Shopify Rebellion.Meanwhile, Team SMG will continue their campaign through the lower bracket, where in their next match they must defeat the winner between KRÜ Blaze and Chao Hui EDward Gaming to keep their tournament hopes alive.

Team SMG previously held a 35-0 win record built since the start of the year, recently defeating Evil Geniuses the previous day.<ul class='op-related-articles'>	<li><a href='https://news.abs-cbn.com/sports/11/29/23/valorant-team-smg-sweeps-in-their-2023-game-changers-championship-debut'>Valorant: Team SMG sweeps in their 2023 Game Changers Championship debut</a></li></ul>

<div class='embed-wrap'><figure data-feedback='fb:likes,fb:comments'><img alt='Team SMG huddle on stage at the 2023 VALORANT Game Changers Championship Quarterfinals in São Paulo, Brazil on November 29, 2023. Photo by Adela Sznajder/Riot Games' src='https://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2023/sports/11/30/20231130-valorant.jpg' ><figcaption>Team SMG huddle on stage at the 2023 VALORANT Game Changers Championship Quarterfinals in São Paulo, Brazil on November 29, 2023. Photo by Adela Sznajder/Riot Games</figcaption></figure></div>The winning streak ends for Southeast Asian squad Team SMG, as defending champions G2 Gozen defeated them in the upper bracket semifinals of the 2023 Valorant Game Changers Championship in São Paulo, Brazil.

Valorant: Team SMG fall to reigning champs G2 Gozen | ABS-CBN News

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Valorant: Team SMG fall to reigning champs G2 Gozen

Valorant: Team SMG fall to reigning champs G2 Gozen