VCT 2025: EMEA Stage 2 — GIANTX defeat NAVI and advance further in the playoffs

On August 29, 2025, the playoffs of VCT 2025: EMEA Stage 2 featured an exciting clash between GIANTX and NAVI. The series ended with a 2–1 victory for GIANTX, who managed to turn things around after dropping the opening map.

Map 1 — Bind

GIANTX 5: 13 NAVI

GIANTX opened the series with their pick of Bind, but NAVI dominated from the very beginning. Controlling the economy and locking down key areas, NAVI left almost no room for their opponents to respond, closing the map 13–5.

Map 2 — Haven

GIANTX 13: 8 NAVI

The momentum shifted completely on Haven. GIANTX seized the initiative early, disrupting NAVI’s rotations and controlling the map with confidence. Standout performances came from ara (28 kills), grubinho on Omen (13 kills, 8 assists), and westside on Cypher (14 kills, 5 retakes). Their disciplined, aggressive style secured the equalizer and tied the series at 1–1.

Map 3 — Ascent

GIANTX 13: 6 NAVI

The decider was a showcase of tactical precision from GIANTX. They dismantled NAVI’s defense with well-coordinated executes and strong mid-round calls. grubinho and ara led the scoreboard with 17 kills each, while Flickless also delivered impactful plays. GIANTX closed the map 13–6 in convincing fashion, sealing the series victory.

Key Takeaways

GIANTX demonstrated remarkable adaptability. After a rough start on Bind, they shifted to a more aggressive and coordinated playstyle, overwhelming NAVI on the next two maps. Superior economy control, smart rotations, and clutch performances from ara, grubinho, Flickless, and Cloud proved decisive in their 2–1 triumph.

VCT 2025: EMEA Stage 2 is an S-tier offline tournament organized by Riot Games, held in Berlin from July 16 to August 31, 2025. It features twelve EMEA teams, a Bo3 group stage, and a double-elimination playoff bracket, with the top two teams securing a spot at Valorant Champions 2025 in Paris.