Week 4 of VCT 2025: China Stage 1 kicks off, and with it comes a match between FunPlus Phoenix and Dragon Rangers Gaming. Below, we'll break down both teams’ form and predict the outcome of this clash.
Current Form
FunPlus Phoenix
FunPlus Phoenix can be considered a mid-tier team in their region. At VCT 2025: China Kickoff, they placed 5th–8th, which wasn’t enough to qualify for Masters. However, the team has been performing fairly well against most regional opponents. In their last five matches, FunPlus Phoenix claimed two wins over TYLOO and TEC Esports. Their three losses came against their upcoming rivals Dragon Rangers Gaming and twice against Nova Esports.
| Team 1 | Score | Team 2 |
|---|---|---|
| FunPlus Phoenix | 0 - 2 | Nova Esports |
| FunPlus Phoenix | 2 - 1 | TYLOO |
| FunPlus Phoenix | 2 - 0 | TEC Esports |
| FunPlus Phoenix | 0 - 2 | Nova Esports |
| FunPlus Phoenix | 1 - 2 | Dragon Ranger |
FunPlus Phoenix were once one of the most renowned teams in the region and even made it to the World Championship in 2024. But so far, this season has been extremely disappointing for the Phoenixes.
Dragon Rangers
Gaming Dragon Rangers Gaming also aren’t considered favorites in the region, but they’re definitely among the strongest mid-tier teams. At VCT 2025: China Kickoff, the team made it to the top four, but only the top two teams secured a spot at Masters. In their last five matches, Dragon Rangers Gaming earned just one win — against Nova Esports. The remaining games ended in losses to TEC, Wolves Esports, and EDward Gaming (twice).
| Team 1 | Score | Team 2 |
|---|---|---|
| Dragon Ranger Gaming | 1 - 2 | EDward Gaming |
| Dragon Ranger Gaming | 1 - 2 | TEC Esports |
| Dragon Ranger Gaming | 2 - 0 | Nova Esports |
| Dragon Ranger Gaming | 1 - 2 | Wolves Esports |
| Dragon Ranger Gaming | 0 - 2 | EDward Gaming |
Unlike their opponents, Dragon Rangers Gaming had rather mediocre results last season, but this year they appear stronger than half of the region’s teams — a clear advantage over FPX.
Map Pool
Expected Bans:
- FunPlus Phoenix will likely ban Ascent.
- Dragon Rangers Gaming are expected to ban Fracture.
Expected Picks:
- FunPlus Phoenix may pick Pearl.
- Dragon Rangers Gaming will likely choose Icebox.
Head-to-Head
Over the past six months, the teams have met only once — at VCT 2025: China Kickoff — where Dragon Rangers Gaming came out on top with a 2:1 victory.
Match Prediction
As mentioned above, Dragon Rangers Gaming seem more confident than their upcoming opponents. First, their current-season performance is slightly better than FPX’s, and second, they’ve already beaten FPX a month ago.
Predicted Result: Dragon Rangers Gaming to win 2:1.
VCT 2025: China Stage 1 is taking place from March 13 to May 4 in LAN format at the VCT CN Arena in Shanghai. Twelve partnered VCT China teams are battling for three slots at Masters Toronto, as well as China Points needed to qualify for the upcoming World Championship.
Comments