Team Liquid vs NRG Preview and Predictions – VCT 2023 Masters Tokyo

The first-ever Team Liquid vs NRG encounter is taking place in Lower Round 2

Although this is the first-ever encounter between these two teams, NRG’s core have previously fought and defeated Liquid before the significant roster change of the European squad. We are hoping for an intense battle in this Bo3, especially since both teams have great individual players who have reached big milestones before. Let’s analyze both teams’ previous games before we predict this elimination bracket matchup.

Team Liquid

The EMEA champions’ strategy had no fruit against EG in their last game, where Liquid faced one of their worst defeats on Fracture with the double-controller setup. NRG will likely use this knowledge in this encounter, and that’s why we are predicting Liquid to ban the map and go for picks like Split, where they have enjoyed a good record in recent months. Moreover, in Liquid’s last series, their star Duelist Sayf struggled to find openings, and the continuation of such poor form can be deadly, especially with players like Victor and ardiis on the opposing side.

Players

Dom “soulcas” Sulcas

• Role: Flex
• VLR Rating: 0.99
• Average Combat Score: 192.5
• Kill/Death Ratio: 1.00
• Kill/Assist/Trade/Survive: 73%
• Average Damage per Round: 126.3

Elias “Jamppi” Olkkonen

• Role: Initiator
• VLR Rating: 1.05
• Average Combat Score: 219.1
• Kill/Death Ratio: 1.13
• Kill/Assist/Trade/Survive: 71%
• Average Damage per Round: 136.0

Ayaz “nAts” Akhmetshin

• Role: Controller/Sentinel
• VLR Rating: 1.11
• Average Combat Score: 225.8
• Kill/Death Ratio: 1.22
• Kill/Assist/Trade/Survive: 74%
• Average Damage per Round: 143.8

Saif “Sayf” Jibraeel

• Role: Duelist
• VLR Rating: 1.15
• Average Combat Score: 227.5
• Kill/Death Ratio: 1.21
• Kill/Assist/Trade/Survive: 72%
• Average Damage per Round: 146.6

Igor “Redgar” Vlasov

• Role: Controller
• VLR Rating: 0.93
• Average Combat Score: 173.5
• Kill/Death Ratio: 0.89
• Kill/Assist/Trade/Survive: 71%
• Average Damage per Round: 113.6

Player to Watch

nAts

Most Kills 

Jamppi

Most First Blood

Sayf

Most Deaths 

Sayf

NRG

The North Americans were able to survive their first Lower Bracket series against DRX, where Victor and ardiis looked on point – and it is for certain that these two players can’t let their guard down for the rest of the event. NRG’s excellent game plan on Haven secured the team a resounding 13-5 victory facing the South Koreans. However, we think Liquid won’t allow the map to go through the veto process in this series. Nonetheless, with one of the best IGLs in the world on board, they have a solid chance to pull through, but Liquid’s individual talents can be big trouble.

Players

Austin “crashies” Roberts

• Role: Sentinel/Initiator
• VLR Rating: 1.06
• Average Combat Score: 201.1
• Kill/Death Ratio: 1.07
• Kill/Assist/Trade/Survive: 75%
• Average Damage per Round: 132.6

Ardis “ardiis” Svarenieks

• Role: Flex
• VLR Rating: 1.07
• Average Combat Score: 229.7
• Kill/Death Ratio: 1.13
• Kill/Assist/Trade/Survive: 72%
• Average Damage per Round: 147.2

Victor “Victor” Wong

• Role: Controller/Sentinel
• VLR Rating: 1.03
• Average Combat Score: 220.7
• Kill/Death Ratio: 1.05
• Kill/Assist/Trade/Survive: 72%
• Average Damage per Round: 140.7

Pujan “FiNESSE” Mehta

• Role: Initiator
• VLR Rating: 0.88
• Average Combat Score: 172.6
• Kill/Death Ratio: 0.85
• Kill/Assist/Trade/Survive: 69%
• Average Damage per Round: 114.2

Sam “s0m” Oh

• Role: Controller
• VLR Rating: 1.05
• Average Combat Score: 217.6
• Kill/Death Ratio: 1.10
• Kill/Assist/Trade/Survive: 72%
• Average Damage per Round: 137.7

Player to Watch

crashies

Most Kills 

Victor

Most First Blood

ardiis

Most Deaths 

ardiis

VCT 2023 Masters Tokyo – Team Liquid vs NRG Predictions

We’ll likely upset the North American fans with this one – Team Liquid will win the Bo3 with a 2-1 score against NRG.

Team Liquid vs NRG – Head-to-Head

Team Liquid 0 – 0 NRG

Team Liquid vs NRG – Maps

• Split
• Bind
• Ascent

Team Liquid vs NRG – Score

• Map 1: Team Liquid to win against NRG by +3>
• Map 2: NRG to win against Team Liquid by +4>
• Map 3: Team Liquid to win against NRG by +4>

Team Liquid vs NRG – First-Half Score

• Map 1: Team Liquid to win against NRG by +2>
• Map 2: Team Liquid to win against NRG by +4>
• Map 3: Team Liquid to win against NRG by +2>

Team Liquid vs NRG – Pistol Winners

• Map 1: Team Liquid – Team Liquid
• Map 2: NRG – NRG 
• Map 2: Team Liquid – NRG

Team Liquid vs NRG – MVP

Jamppi

VCT 2023 Masters Tokyo – NRG vs Team Liquid Match Links

• Twitch
• YouTube

NRG vs Team Liquid – Match Time

June 19, 2023 – 20:00 PT // 23:00 ET// June 20, 2023 – 05:00 CEST