Acend win Valorant VCT Europe Stage 3 Challengers 1 after several UK teams exit early

Dom Sacco, Senior Editor

Last Updated: 12/07/2021

Acend have been crowned champions of the latest Valorant Champions Tour Europe tournament after beating G2 Esports 3-1 in the final on Sunday.

Acend looked dominant, taking the first two games 13-5 and 13-2, and although G2 fought hard in games three and four, winning them 13-6 and losing 10-13 respectively, Acend did more than enough to take the victory.

This made them winners of the Valorant Champions Tour Europe Stage 3 Challengers 1.

Elsewhere in the tournament, it was a disappointing showing from UK teams, who largely failed to progress from the early stages.

UK org Rix, with UK players otom, frei and Luzuh (and coaches weber and Laika), fell 2-0 in round one of the lower bracket versus G2. More prominent sides with UK talent – Fnatic and Team Liquid – both exited 2-0 in round two of the lower bracket versus G2 and FunPlux Phoenix respectively.

Fnatic have UK players Boaster and Mistic (and coach mini), while Liquid have soulcas, Kryptix and L1NK, plus coach Sliggy.

UK org Guild Esports and their all-Swedish roster did manage to make it to the upper bracket final, but there they lost 2-0 to eventual winners Acend.

The UK did have a showing in the final however – UK coach neilzinho is with G2’s Valorant side.

Elsewhere, in the North American Stage 3 Challengers 1 tournament, UK former CSGO player turned Valorant pro, dephh, featured in the final for XSET, who fell 3-1 to Sentinels.

Sentinels are regarded one of the best Valorant teams in the world, and beat Fnatic in the Stage 2 Masters LAN Grand Final back in May.

The EMEA Stage 3 Challengers Playoffs slots are filling up, with the likes of Guild, G2 and others claiming spots. Teams around the world are competing in their various Challengers events in a bid to qualify for the next Valorant LAN, the VCT Stage 3 Masters, which takes place in Berlin this September.

Related article: Why UK talent is shining in Valorant compared to CSGO

Dom Sacco, Senior Editor

Dom is an award-winning writer and finalist of the Esports Journalist of the Year 2023 award. He has almost two decades of experience in journalism, and left Esports News UK in June 2025. As a long-time gamer having first picked up the NES controller in the late '80s, he has written for a range of publications including GamesTM, Nintendo Official Magazine, industry publication MCV and others. He also previously worked as head of content for the British Esports Federation.

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