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With the remaining matchups of VCT LOCK//IN scheduled to begin on February 22, the large-scale Valorant tournament is set to enter its next stage, which will seed two of the best teams from the Group into the playoffs stage. The opening matchup of this stage will pit Team Liquid against Team Secret, and is likely to be a nail-biting game for EMEA and Pacific fans.
Featuring sixteen teams, LOCK//IN’s Group Omega will host a total of eight matchups in Round 1. The tournament follows a single-elimination format, so every participating team will have to give their best to remain in the competition.
The Group Alpha stage concluded on February 19, with LOUD and DRX emerging as the dominant teams. They have already qualified for the playoffs stage, which will begin on March 2 and consists of the semifinals and Grand Final.
This article offers predictions for the upcoming Round 1 Group Omega matchup featuring Europe’s Team Liquid and Asia’s Team Secret through general comparisons, recent results, and more.
Team Liquid vs Team Secret: Who will win the upcoming Round 1 matchup in VCT LOCK//IN 2023?
Group Omega hosts some of the biggest names in Valorant esports, as well as some rising teams. With Riot Games opting for a random draw process to pair teams up and prioritize inter-regional matchups, competitive diversity is definitely one of the best features of VCT LOCK//IN 2023.
Team Liquid will soon face Team Liquid in an exciting best-of-three series, the loser of which will be sent home. In view of the new VCT partnership program, both Valorant rosters underwent changes to build a revamped version of themselves. As a result, both groups are now a concoction of young and experienced talents.
Team Secret and Team Liquid currently field partially new rosters and are yet to establish their capabilities as teams in the professional Valorant scene. However, both rosters feature some of the most skilful players hailing from the EMEA and Pacific regions. Naturally, it will be an interesting game to witness in VCT LOCK//IN 2023.
Predictions
Team Liquid boasts a brilliant roster, with talented players like Igor “Redgar” Vlasov, Ayaz “nAts” Akhmetshin, Dom “soulcas” Sulcas, Dmitriy “dimasick” Matvienko, and Elias “Jamppi” Olkkonen establishing their superiority, both internationally and regionally.
The same cannot be said for Team Secret, who are yet to establish themselves on the international scene. However, three of Secret’s athletes, Jim "BORKUM" Timbreza, Jayvee "DubsteP" Paguirigan, and Jessie "JessieVash" Cristy, performed well in VCT 2021 when they were members of Bren Esports.
Considering their experience and recent performances in VCT 2022, Team Liquid certainly seems to have the upper hand over Team Secret. However, Group Alpha’s outcomes have left many fans surprised as newly formed teams managed to baffle experienced rosters with their gun power and unpredictable strategies.
Team Secret hosts one of the most powerful rosters in Asia and is capable of giving Team Liquid a hard time on the battlefield. That said, Team Liquid carries a higher probability of winning this matchup.
Head-to-head
Team Liquid and Team Secret, in their old or new form, haven't met in a professional game of Valorant before. They will face each other for the first time in VCT LOCK//IN 2023.
Recent results
Team Liquid’s last professional Valorant event was Champions Istanbul 2022, where they lost against FNATIC in the playoffs stage. The EMEA team showcased a valiant performance in VCT 2022 and the prestigious year-end tournament, defeating most of their opponents, international and regional, in the process.
Team Secret, on the other hand, last participated in Valorant India Invitational, a SA/SEA third-party tournament, where they were eliminated after losing against Paper Rex. However, their win against one of EMEA's top teams, Team Heretics, was highly notable.
Team Liquid has undergone a major transformation since Champions Istanbul 2022. At the same time, Team Secret acquired new players for its roster in December last year.
Unfortunately, predicting an outcome for newly formed teams based on their old player compositions isn't wise. Nevertheless, Team Liquid certainly seems like the stronger team before their upcoming VCT LOCK//IN matchup against Team Secret.
Potential rosters
Team Liquid
- Dom "Soulcas" Sulcas
- Elias "Jamppi" Olkkonen
- Igor "Redgar" Vlasov (IGL)
- Ayaz "nAts" Akhmetshin
- Dmitriy "dimasick" Matvienko
- Saif "Sayf" Jibraeel
- Evan "Warbirds" Olzem [Coach]
Team Secret
- Jessie "JessieVash" Cristy Cuyco
- Jayvee "DubsteP" Paguirigan
- Jim "BORKUM" Timbreza
- Jeremy "Jremy" Cabrera
- Adrian "invy" Reyes
- Lionel Lim "lenne" You Xiang
- Emil "eMIL" Sandgren [Head Coach]
Where to watch
Fans can watch Team Secret face Team Liquid in VCT LOCK//IN 2023 on February 22, 2023 at 9:00 am PDT/7:00 pm CEST/10:30 pm IST. Interested readers can join the livestream on Valorant esports’ YouTube and Twitch channels. Additionally, one can tune into their favorite streamer’s watch parties to enjoy the game from a different perspective.
