G2 comeback from 2-11 deficit to secure Masters Shanghai Finals Weekend

The Upper Semifinals of VALORANT Masters Shanghai Finals kicked off today with Gen.G dominating 100 Thieves to secure a top three finish and the Upper Finals.

Following their game, G2 took on Team Heretics for the second Upper Finals spot. The second encounter between the teams in Shanghai exceeded the expectations of the audience.

G2 Esports vs Team Heretics

The battle between G2 Esports and Team Heretics started in the map veto itself. Team Heretics started off the vetoes with banning Bind, the map Team Heretics lost in their first encounter.

G2 vetoed Sunset, and Team Heretics picked Icebox, a map their opponents have been struggling on.

As anticipated, the struggle continued for their opponents as Team Heretics secured an early lead on the map and converted it into a dominant 10-2 half.

Despite the comeback attempts, they closed out the map 13-7.

Talking about their Icebox struggles, G2 Head Coach JoshRT said:

“I think Icebox is a tricky map where sometimes it's hard to stop certain tactics regardless of the comp you play. So, I tried to change the comp to something that could probably stop what T1 did to us. 

Although it was a loss, it really came down to our relative inexperience with the new comp and dealing with the pressure they applied to us, especially with the Jett, and making sure we made the right decisions.

If you watch the tape, there are moments where we could have won those rounds, but our spacing and trading were bad. So, the fundamentals and the macro need to be cleaned up a little bit, but we have time to fix that.”

Securing a 1-0 lead, going into G2’s pick of Ascent. Team Heretics again secured a strong half going 10-2 up, and followed it up with a pistol round to go 11-2 up.

But then, G2 Esports rallied behind their eco win, securing eleven rounds in a row to secure one of the biggest comeback wins in International VALORANT esports history.

In winning the game, G2 Esports not only came back from a 2-11 deficit but a landslide map loss earlier.

Talking about the discussions that enabled the map win, JoshRT said:

“We always like to believe that no matter what, despite the scoreline, if we just get this round and then the next round, taking it one round at a time and getting our fundamentals, our micro and macro comms up to speed, and playing for each other, good things will happen.

Next thing you know, we were ahead, and we saw that we could just close it out from there.”

On Lotus, G2 Esports’ defense carried forward the Ascent momentum, going 8-4 up in the first half of the game. They efficiently converted the 4-round lead to a solid 13-4 victory over Team Heretics, solidifying themselves as the favorites to win Masters Shanghai.

The win also grants the individuals on G2 Esports, their best International placement yet. This is especially rewarding for Jonah, Valyn and Trent who have been playing together since 2022.

The core had an incredible journey starting with qualifying for their first international event with Masters Reykjavik 2022, making it through Ascensions to secure their second international appearance at Masters Shanghai 2024.

Reflecting on the long journey the IGL Valyn said:

“For the core of the team, we went through hell and back to get in this position in the first place. It's not a shocker to me that we're able to do some damage internationally, make comebacks happen, and battle through adversity. We've been through a lot in the last two, three years together.

We never gave up on each other. We always tried to push through hard times and have our great moments like winning Ascension and getting here. 

It was just a matter of time. We knew if we kept sticking to our roots, keeping our mentality of trying to get better every day, and helping each other get better, our time would come.

We're good players and a good team. Rounding out the roster with Icy and Nate felt really good. Our coaching staff, Josh and Shaq, also played a crucial role. The core was able to teach our new players how we want to play, and they added their own flair.

Everyone adds their own flair to the team, and we kept the same culture throughout the years. I think it's a winning culture, so I'm not surprised that we're here.” 

Adding to Valyn’s statement Jonah said:

“I wouldn't want to do this with any other team or players. I'm grateful my teammates still trust me, and I always trust them.

It just proves how much team chemistry we have. Staying together and building a foundation is critical for a team, and that's what we did.”

With the win, G2 Esports secured a Mercedes Benz arena appearance. They will be taking on Gen.G for the Grand Finals seat on June 7th.

Team Heretics are in the lower bracket and will face FUT Esports tomorrow to stay in contention for the Masters Shanghai title.

The action resumes at 4 PM CST tomorrow. Catch the games live on Twitch and YouTube.

Stay tuned on Strafe YouTube for exclusive interviews, press conferences and more. You can also follow the tournament on Strafe.

Featured Image Credits: Liu YiCun/Riot Games

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