The first stage of the VCT 2025 EMEA Kickoff has concluded. Four teams have been relegated to the lower bracket, and the quarterfinal matchups for the upper bracket are now set. In this article, we will highlight the key moments from the final matches of the opening round.

Team Liquid vs. MKOI

The match between Team Liquid and MKOI was intense from the very beginning. The battle started on Fracture, where MKOI managed to secure a hard-fought lead. However, this was the only map they managed to win.

The next map, Abyss, was MKOI's pick, but the game ended with a crushing 3-13 score in favor of Team Liquid. The final map, Bind, was a closer contest. Despite MKOI's best efforts, Team Liquid secured a 13-10 victory, winning the series and advancing to the quarterfinals to face FUT Esports, while MKOI dropped to the lower bracket.

Apeks vs. Gentle Mates

The debut match of the Apeks team in the franchised Valorant Champions Tour league ended in defeat. Despite the incredible efforts of florescent, who impressed with her gameplay, scoring 39 kills in her first match against a male roster, it did not help the team secure even a single map. The match concluded with a 0:2 score in favor of Gentle Mates.

An additional factor that complicated the situation for Apeks was a forced roster change. Player Mehmet "batujnax" Özaslan was unable to participate in the match due to visa issues. He was replaced by Chad "oderus" Miller, who serves as the team's strategic coach.

The VCT 2025 EMEA Kickoff is taking place from January 15 to February 9 in a LAN format at the Riot Games arena. Twelve partnered teams from the VCT program are competing for two invitations to Masters Bangkok and crucial EMEA Points, essential for qualifying for the World Championship.