The weekend of the finals for both competitions is now behind us, so it’s time to take a look at how Vandals Clan performed in the most important matches. This time, the team faced an exceptionally intense period, as the arrmy and Galaxy Cup finals were once again held together. Vandals Clan therefore competed on two fronts, taking on the top teams from both tournaments. Ultimately, the team reached the semi-finals in both competitions, finishing in 3rd–4th place. First, however, it’s worth taking a look at the arrmy Masters, where Vandals began their campaign with a semi-final clash against the Wampirki.
Vandals Clan lose to the Wampirki once again
The arrmy Masters finals began for Vandals Clan with a match against the Wampirki. One could therefore say it was a true ‘El Clásico’ of the underground scene. This was because the Vandals were once again up against a rival they had so far failed to beat. This time, too, they were unable to break this losing streak, although the start of the match gave plenty of cause for optimism.
The first map was Nuke, chosen by the Wampirki. The Vandals Clan got off to a flying start and quickly took a 3–0 lead. Their rivals, however, had no intention of letting them win easily and responded immediately, levelling the score. Ultimately, both teams fought an extremely hard-fought battle, from which the Wampirkie emerged victorious. The 10–13 result meant that Vandals had to make up the deficit on their own map pick.
On Ancient, we once again saw a very strong start from Vandals Clan. This time, too, the team quickly took the lead, and then had to fend off successive attempts by their opponents to fight back. However, a battle that went right down to the wire brought the much-desired 13–11 victory, meaning that Anubis would decide the fate of the entire series.
Unfortunately for Vandals Clan, the decisive map did not go their way at all. After two closely fought matches, it was hard to expect such a one-sided game. From the very first rounds, the Vampires took full control of the action on the server and ultimately sealed the victory on Anubis with a scoreline of 0–13. As a result, Vandals Clan lost the series 1–2 and finished the arrmy Masters competition in 3rd–4th place.
Vandals Clan one step away from the Galaxy Cup grand final
In the Galaxy Cup, Vandals Clan began their campaign with a quarter-final clash against WTG AC. In this instance, however, there was no sign of a nervous start or a battle that went down to the wire. Vandals demonstrated their strength from the very first minutes and confidently closed out the series with a 2–0 victory. On Nuke, which the Vandals had chosen, they won 13–6. On Mirage, selected by WTG AC, they went one step further, winning 13–4. Such a convincing victory meant that a far greater challenge awaited them in the semi-finals.
On the other side of the server were Teletubisie, one of the main favourites for the entire tournament. The squad included players such as byali and Masked, so a one-sided affair was to be expected ahead of the match. However, Vandals Clan proved that they had no intention of giving up the semi-final without a fight.
The first map was Ancient, chosen by Vandals. The team performed very well on their own pick and remained in contention for victory for a long time. In the end, they were very close to forcing a decider, but Teletubisie kept their cool in the closing stages and won 11–13.
Nuke provided even more excitement. Vandals Clan controlled the match for a long time and, with the score at 12–6, it seemed the series was heading for a deciding map. However, the Teletubbies showed why they had been tipped as favourites ahead of the tournament. Their rivals staged an impressive comeback, levelled the score, and then tipped the balance in their favour in extra time. The final score of 13–16 ended Vandals’ dreams of reaching the grand final.
Thus, Vandals Clan bowed out of the Galaxy Cup in 3rd–4th place. Although the semi-final ended in a 0–2 defeat, it would be hard to call it a one-sided affair. The second map in particular showed just how close the Vandals were to causing a major upset.
Two semi-finals, one place amongst the elite
The final weekend saw Vandals Clan finish in third or fourth place twice, but it also showcased a team capable of competing with the very best. In the Army Masters, the team fought a closely contested series against the Wampirki, and on Ancient managed to force a draw. Unfortunately, the decisive Anubis map did not go at all according to the Vandals’ plan.
Even more positives can be drawn from their performance in the Galaxy Cup. Following a very convincing victory over WTG AC, the Vandals faced Teletubisie and made life extremely difficult for the favourites. Both semi-final maps were close, and Nuke in particular showed just how close they came to taking the series to a third map.
Ultimately, Vandals Clan therefore ends the weekend with two semi-final appearances to their name. Although they came within a whisker of the grand finals, two 3rd–4th place finishes are a solid result and further confirmation that the team can compete effectively on the LAN scene.
Vandals Clan
Source: Tournament brackets on arrmy.gg (Galaxy Cup – Masters League)
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