The regular season in the Chinese region kicked off earlier than in others, and the third week of the VCT 2025: China Stage group stage is already about to begin. One of the opening matches will feature a clash between JD Gaming and Trace Esports. Below, we’ll analyze both teams’ current form and predict the outcome of this match.
Current Team Form
JD Gaming
JD Gaming can be considered, if not a complete outsider, then at least a below-average team on the Chinese VCT scene. In the initial VCT 2025: China Kickoff qualifiers, the team placed 7th–8th, failing to qualify for the Masters. Over their last five matches, JD Gaming has only managed a single win against XLG Gaming. The four losses came from two matches each against Bilibili Gaming and Wolves Esports.
| Team 1 | Score | Team 2 |
|---|---|---|
| JD Gaming | 1 - 2 | Bilibili Gaming |
| JD Gaming | 0 - 2 | Wolves Esports |
| JD Gaming | 0 - 3 | Bilibili Gaming |
| JD Gaming | 0 - 2 | Wolves Esports |
| JD Gaming | 2 - 0 | XLG Esports |
As mentioned earlier, JD Gaming is among the underdogs of the region and a likely candidate for early elimination. Their poor performance in the qualifiers didn’t give them a chance to shine, and there’s little indication that things will improve at the current event.
Trace Esports
Their opponent, Trace Esports, on the other hand, is one of the strongest teams in the region, second only to world champions EDward Gaming. The team had a great run at VCT 2025: China Kickoff, securing 2nd place and a spot at Masters Bangkok. In their last five matches, Trace Esports secured only one win against All Gamers. The rest ended in losses against T1, G2 Esports, Nova Esports, and Wolves Esports.
| Team 1 | Score | Team 2 |
|---|---|---|
| Trace Esports | 0 - 2 | Wolves Esports |
| Trace Esports | 2 - 1 | All Gamers |
| Trace Esports | 0 - 2 | T1 |
| Trace Esports | 0 - 2 | G2 Esports |
| Trace Esports | 1 - 2 | Nova Esports |
Despite their disappointing performance at the Masters, Trace Esports remains one of the top teams in the region and comes into this matchup as the clear favorite.
Map Pool Expectations
Expected Bans:
- JD Gaming will likely ban Icebox
- Trace Esports is expected to remove Pearl
Expected Picks:
- JD Gaming might opt for Fracture
- Trace Esports is likely to choose Ascent
Head-to-Head Record
The teams haven’t faced each other in the last six months.
Match Prediction
Trace Esports enters this matchup as the undeniable favorite and is one of the main contenders for the tournament title. Despite recent losses against top international teams, they hold a significant advantage over JD Gaming and are highly likely to win this match.
Predicted Outcome: Trace Esports to win 2–0.
VCT 2025: China Stage 1 is held from March 13 to May 4 in a LAN format at the VCT CN Arena in Shanghai. Twelve partnered VCT China teams are competing for three spots at Masters Toronto and valuable China Points, which are crucial for qualifying for the upcoming world championship.
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