Following an unexpected loss to T1 in the knockout phase of VCT Pacific Stage 1 yesterday (3/5), Team Secret’s youngster, Noel “NDG” De Guia, shed light on the factors behind his team’s shaky performance.
Prior to the knockout stage, TS had become a favorite among pundits and fans of the Pacific scene, having shown remarkable progress in the preceding group phase. Its strong teamwork and mentality were believed to surpass that of their opponents, who had struggled with consistency in the group matches.
However, TS faced a setback against T1, losing the crucial match 2-0. Despite a strong start in the second game, where it dominated the first 12 rounds, T1 capitalized on TS’s mistakes to clinch victory with a score of 11-13.
The defeat certainly came as a shock to spectators, witnessing TS lose momentum rapidly. Moreover, T1 effectively disrupted TS’s usually solid team play.
Regarding those results, NDG, speaking after the match, admitted confusion over his team’s performance. He acknowledged that the team had made uncharacteristic errors which hindered the progress.
“I think we really played badly today in this series because we did a lot of mistakes and errors, and we complicated a lot of things,” NDG said. “There’s a round, like, where we can really win, but we lost. I don’t know if it’s communication or just not on the same page.”
With the curtain falling on their bid for a coveted ticket to Masters Shanghai, it is back to drawing board for the team before VCT Pacific Stage 2 commences. With over five weeks of preparation time, the Adobo gang has a prime opportunity to fine-tune its strategies and carefully evaluate any potential lineup adjustments.
