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Tournament Overview
The VALORANT Challengers 2025 NORTH//EAST: Stage 1, took place from January 17 to February 16, 2025. The event featured 24 teams from Northern, Central, and Eastern Europe, competing through various phases, including the Lower and Upper Swiss Phases, and culminating in the playoffs.
Liquid Academy’s Journey
Due to Liquid Academy being a North Invite (as High seed), they were able to skip a stage of the format and kick off from the Upper Swiss Phase. In this stage they first played against Unsigned, which unexpectedly beat TL.A 13-9 on Lotus. The next day, they faced EXO Clan in the Round 2 Lower Matches where Split was played and 13-4 was the scoreline, in favour of the boys in blue. This win was immediately overshadowed by another loss in the Round 3 mid matches as they fell 13-8 to Zero Tenacity on yet another Lotus.
With these losses, it was do or die for Qpert and co and they would have to step on the gas to confirm their spot in the playoffs. For their fourth match, HAVU was their next opponent, in which TL.A managed a comfortable 2-0 win. And for the final round, it was a very close match against WYLDE, with both maps (Split & Abyss) ending 13-11 & 13-10 respectively, both in favour of Liquid. Through these results, Liquid placed 6th in the Upper Swiss Phase, qualifying them to the playoffs.
Qpert’s Liquid Academy – The Playoff Run
Their opponents here were tougher than they expected, but it was not enough to eliminate Team Liquid. Throughout the bracket, they played against the European team of Metizport (2-1 win), Zero Tenacity (2-1 win), and Szach Mat (2-1 loss). They then dropped down to the lower bracket final against Enterprise Esports, and after a grueling series, Liquid academy was victorious with a 3-2 scoreline.
Grand Finals
Here Qpert would have to face the team that dropped them down to the lower bracket, the Polish team Szach Mat. Liquid kicked off the series with a map win on Haven, 13-9. Szach mat immediately responded, winning two maps back to back (13-8 on Split, 13-7 on Fracture) securing series point. Next map was Lotus, a map which Liquid had struggled with in the initial stage of the event. They needed a win to go to the fifth and final map, and they certainly worked for it. The map went to overtime and concluded with an 18-16 scoreline for Liquid Academy. Abyss was where it all ended for the two teams as Qpert and his squad march to victory, securing a 13-10 score, winning the series 3-2 and being crowned as champions.
THE FUTURE OF TALENT DEVELOPMENT IS BRIGHT
— VALORANT Challengers NORTH//EAST (@valleague_ne) February 16, 2025
Team Liquid Academy are your First-Ever Challengers NORTH//EAST Champions
⭐️@GSR233
⭐️@NINJA_vlr
⭐️@rexxtoned666
⭐️@qpert999
⭐️@d3murrr
🧠@Howsthebacon9 #CLNE // #ChallengersEMEA pic.twitter.com/DjIqyM9V0K
Qpert’s Liquid Academy – What’s next?
Not only do Liquid Academy get the biggest share of the pot from the prizepool, but this win also earns them 3 Ascension Points, and qualification to Challengers EMEA as well as Stage 2 of NORTH//EAST.
Liquid Academy’s next objective is securing a high placement at the Challengers EMEA, where they will be up against plenty of teams from other regional leagues, such as: DACH: Evolution, France: Revolution, Spain: Rising, and Türkiye: Birlik.
We congratulate Qpert and Liquid Academy on this great achievement, and we’ll be sure to keep an eye on their upcoming matches at prestigious events. Stay updated on esportsmalta.mt!
Christian Camilleri
