𝘃𝗶𝗮 𝗞𝗲𝗻 𝗦𝘂𝗲𝗹𝘁𝗼, 𝗣𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗿𝗼𝗼𝗺 𝗣𝗵𝗶𝗹𝗶𝗽𝗽𝗶𝗻𝗲𝘀
Fnatic completed a stunning comeback against regional rivals Paper Rex, clinching a 2-1 victory in the VALORANT Esports World Cup (EWC) Semi-Finals to punch their ticket to the Grand Finale on July 12.
The win was more than just a step forward; it was a redemption arc as the EMEA powerhouse avenged their Finals loss to PRX in Masters Toronto, turning the tide with a relentless rally at the jam-packed Riyadh Boulevard.
Led by veteran in-game leader Jake “Boaster” Howlett, who steered the team using just Omen and Astra, Fnatic weathered an early storm before taking full control of the series.
“I'm not going to focus on winning,” Boaster said ahead of the Finals. “But if we do, I’d love to thank everyone for the support.”
Meanwhile, Turkish prodigy Emir Ali “Alfajer” Beder was the standout, topping the server with a monster 263 ACS and a 55/48/14 KDA to carry the load in the do-or-die affair.
Timofey “Chronicle” Khromov and Kajetan “kaajak” Haremski also delivered the goods, combining for 109 kills and a 496 ACS across the three maps.
PRX's Masters MVP Jason “f0rsakEn” Susanto dropped 50 kills and a solid 219 ACS, but couldn’t stave off the comeback.
The series opened in Paper Rex’s favor, with the APAC juggernauts sprinting to a 4-0 start and eventually securing Game 1 with a 13-10 finish, capitalizing on their signature double-controller setup.
But the tide turned in Game 2, Fnatic flipped the script with a near-flawless performance to suffocate PRX’s offense and walk away with a dominant 13-3 victory to force a decider.
Game 3 saw Fnatic hit full stride as they took early control as Attackers and never looked back, though PRX threatened to rally after the half, Boaster fronted the squad with a heroic retake in the final round to complete the reverse sweep.
Fnatic now await the winner of the other semi-final clash between Team Heretics and Gen.G. Meanwhile, Paper Rex drop to the lower bracket and will play in the Consolation Final for a shot at third place.
.png)