Trace Esports will face off against XLG Esports in a match as part of the VCT 2025: China Stage 1. Both teams are competing in the group stage with a record of 2 wins and 1 loss. Let's assess the form of both teams and predict the winner of this match.

Current Team Form

Trace Esports has shown inconsistent results in 2025. The team started strong at the VCT 2025: China Kickoff, securing 2nd place, but then delivered a less convincing performance at the VCT 2025: Masters Bangkok (7th–8th place) and was eliminated early in the China Evolution Series: Act 1 (9th–12th place). In the current VCT 2025: China Stage 1, Trace holds a 2:1 record, winning two out of their last five matches. The roster remains unchanged, which might indicate either stability or slow progress.

XLG Esports shows a similar trajectory: finishing 5th–6th at the China Kickoff and 5th–8th at the Evolution Series. They also have a current 2:1 record in VCT 2025: China Stage 1 and have won 2 of their last 5 games. The team is known for its flexible strategy and adaptation to opponents, which might give them an edge in the matchup against Trace. The roster also remains unchanged.

Team Map Pool

Predicted map picks and bans:

• Trace Esports Ban: Icebox — traditionally the first ban in VCT 2025: China Stage 1. The team shows uncertainty on this map.
• XLG Esports Ban: Haven — likely to remove a map where Trace struggles (1:3), though XLG themselves don't dominate on it.
• Trace Esports Pick: Lotus — the most popular and relatively successful map (5:3). Trace feels comfortable here.
• XLG Esports Pick: Ascent — a map with a 100% win rate (3:0), despite the low number of games. Trace appears weak on Ascent (2:5).
• Trace Esports Ban: Fracture — a highly unsuccessful map for them (0:2), which they try to avoid.
• Decider: Pearl — both teams play it often (Trace 4:3, XLG 5:5), making it a suitable neutral choice.

Head-to-Head

The teams have not faced each other in official matches before. This adds intrigue to the upcoming duel, as both sides will have to play "blind," relying only on available demos and analytical data.

Match Prediction

The match promises to be intense, as both teams have similar results and demonstrate an equal level of preparation in the current stage of the tournament. Trace has a strong asset in the form of the Lotus map but might struggle significantly on Ascent, where XLG feels confident. The deciding map, Pearl, where the teams have close statistics, will become a real battleground.

Prediction: XLG Esports wins 2:1.

VCT 2025: China Stage 1 runs from March 13 to May 4. During the event, teams compete for three slots in the VCT 2025: Masters Toronto and China Points, which are necessary for further qualification for VALORANT Champions. Find out more about the match schedule and tournament results by following this link.