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LOUD emerged victorious against NRG with a 2-1 scoreline in the second upper bracket semi-final of VCT Champions 2026 on Saturday, October 10. Following this defeat, NRG, featuring British player Keiko, now find themselves in the lower bracket of the playoffs.
Despite being considered the underdogs on paper, NRG, ranked 12th in the Elo power rankings with a rating of 1791 and a 73-36 record across 109 rated matches, faced off against LOUD, sitting at 51st with a losing 29-37 record from 66 matches. However, the match proved that rankings can only tell part of the story.
LOUD Secures Victory in a Thrilling 36-Minute Decider
The match saw LOUD taking the first game in 46 minutes, with NRG responding strongly in the second game, which turned out to be the longest of the series lasting 49 minutes. Ultimately, LOUD closed out the series with a quick 36-minute victory in the third and final game.
Following this defeat, NRG’s three-match winning streak at the event comes to an end. They had previously secured victories against Nongshim RedForce, Karmine Corp, and T1 before facing off against LOUD.
For Keiko, the UK representative on the NRG roster, the tournament journey continues, albeit now with no room for error.
LOUD Dominates Rivalry with Second Consecutive Win Over NRG
This victory marks LOUD’s second consecutive win over NRG, solidifying their dominance in the rivalry. The two teams had previously split their encounters in 2026, with LOUD securing a 2-0 win and NRG claiming a 3-0 victory at the Esports World Cup Americas Qualifier. In VCT Americas Stage 2, NRG emerged victorious with a 2-1 scoreline on August 28, but LOUD bounced back with a thrilling 3-2 win on September 5. With this latest victory, LOUD now holds a two-game winning streak over the US-based team.
LOUD’s winning streak continues at Champions, with victories over EDward Gaming, Global Esports, and Paper Rex preceding their win against NRG.
Team Vitality Awaits LOUD in the Next Challenge
LOUD’s next challenge comes in the form of a rematch against Team Vitality, the only team to have defeated them at the event so far. Team Vitality secured their spot by sweeping G2 Esports in the first upper bracket semi-final and edging out Nongshim RedForce in the quarter-finals.
Meanwhile, NRG now navigates the lower bracket alongside 100 Thieves and T1, who both advanced from the first round. 100 Thieves eliminated Nongshim RedForce with a 2-1 victory, while T1 defeated Paper Rex by the same scoreline. NRG will face a familiar opponent in T1, whom they defeated 2-0 in the upper bracket quarter-finals.
The highly anticipated clash between LOUD and Team Vitality is set to take place on Friday, October 16, just two days before the event concludes on October 18.
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