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FaZe Clan defeated 100 Thieves in a do-or-die matchup in the lower bracket of VCT 2022 Stage 2 NA Challengers to edge closer to their dreams of Masters qualification. After winning this Lower Round 2 fixture, FaZe are now two wins away from qualifying for the Stage 2 Masters.
FaZe were determined to fight their way to VCT Masters: Copenhagen by winning the Lower Finals, after being pushed to the lower bracket by 100 Thieves earlier in the playoffs. 100 Thieves joined them in the bracket later on after a defeat to XSET in the Upper Semifinals.
In their Lower Round 2 matchup, FaZe Clan came out on top after 3 maps of enticing encounters, thereby advancing further up the lower brackets of VCT 2022 Stage 2 NA Challengers playoffs. FaZe Clan will take on NRG Esports on June 25, 2022 at 06.30 AM IST/ June 24, 2022 at 06.00 PM PDT/ 09.00 PM EDT.
flyuh talks about FaZe Clan's victory over 100 Thieves at VCT 2022 Stage 2 NA Challengers playoffs
In a conversation with Sportskeeda Esports' Adarsh J Kumar, one of FaZe Clan's players, Xavier "flyuh" Carlson, talked about his team's performance so far in the VCT 2022 Stage 2 NA Challengers playoffs.
Q: You had a close defeat to 100 Thieves in the upper bracket just a few days ago. How do you think they performed this time around?
flyuh: They performed pretty good. I have a lot of respect for them. I think they're a great team to play against. Even in scrims, they're a great team to practice against. I think going into it, we expected them to play a certain way. Everything we prepared for was proof.
Q: After a disappointing outcome in Stage 1, FaZe seems to finally have found their spark in Stage 2, reaching the tournament's top 4. In that respect, how impactful were the additions of supamen and poised to the team?
flyuh: It was amazing. In Stage 1, it wasn't the roster that was set to go far. I didn't want to IGL in the first place. I was IGLing in Stage 1. In Stage 2, they made some changes and I went on the bench.
They brought poised and supamen in. supamen is amazing. He's probably one of the best smokes players in the game right now. Probably the best in North America. poised is a great IGL too.
A lot of people under-rate poised. Super hard working player, he's an amazing IGL. I feel great now that I'm not an IGL and that I'm back on the team and I can focus on my own game.
Q: What are your initial thoughts on Pearl, Valorant's upcoming map?
flyuh: I actually think I like it. Looking at all of it, I think it makes sense. I don't know what comps we're going to be running on it yet, but I feel like I'm going to like it a lot more than some of the maps in the game already.
Q: Pearl will be replacing Split in the map pool once Patch 5.0 hits the game. How do you feel about that?
flyuh: Thank god. I hate Split. It's a very hard map to get down, and it's also a map where no matter how hard you can counter the other team, it's really hard to just win. If you make the most perfect play on Split, one guy can just get a 4K from like a really dumb spot and the entire map is just like bad. So I'm thankful that it's out of the queue.
Q: Being part of an organization as reputed as FaZe Clan, what do you think about Riot Games' plans of franchising in 2023, essentially replacing VCT?
flyuh: Players aren't allowed to know. No one in the orgs knows besides the higher ups who are signed under NDAs to Riot. I have no idea, I don't really have any expectations. I'm just going to go with the flow with what happens to franchising.
Q: FaZe Clan will face NRG Esports next week for the tournament's Lower Round 3 matchup. NRG has had a good run in VCT Stage 2 so far, while you've also been in great form. How do you think this match will turn out?
flyuh: I think we're going to come in prepared as always. They are a good team, we've practiced against them a lot. Our practices are normally very trolled, so we don't see the full potential. We're going to take it the same as every other match, we're going to come in prepared and play our own game. I'm excited to play them.
Q: With each day you’re getting closer to a VCT Masters qualification. Considering this will be your first ever LAN if you qualify, how much are you looking forward to playing in front of a live audience at Copenhagen?
flyuh: It's my dream to play in front of a live audience. I've never even been to a LAN before. So I am just excited. I really hope we can make it.
