We continue our coverage of the VCT 2025: EMEA Kickoff tournament. Today, we’ll focus on the first round of the lower bracket, where KOI will face Gentle Mates. This is a decisive match, as the loser will be eliminated from the tournament. Let’s take a closer look at both teams to assess their current form and chances of winning.

Current Team Form

KOI

KOI is undergoing a rebuilding phase. Following recent roster changes that introduced new players, apart from GRUBINHO and Sheydos, the team has played only one official match—a show match, KCX4: Forever Rivals, against Karmine Corp, which ended in defeat. Their lack of synergy and experience in official matches could be a significant weakness in this tournament.

Gentle Mates

Gentle Mates had a more productive off-season, assembling a revamped roster and securing a confident 2-0 victory over Team Heretics at HereticsXP #2. This win highlights the team’s good preparation and coordination. Gentle Mates have a slight edge over KOI due to their consistent performances in pre-season matches.

Map Pool

KOI

KOI will likely choose Ascent, as it remains their strongest map, where they consistently perform at a high level. Sunset and Lotus are expected bans, as KOI lack confidence on these maps.

Gentle Mates

Gentle Mates will likely ban Lotus, a map they tend to avoid. For their pick, we can expect Pearl, where they have shown stability and confidence, giving them an advantage through solid preparation.

Decider

The likely decider map will be Haven, as both teams are relatively comfortable on it without showing clear dominance.

Head-to-Head

At the time of writing, the current rosters of KOI and Gentle Mates have not faced each other in official matches. This makes the upcoming game highly unpredictable, as both teams remain “wild cards” to one another. The outcome will heavily depend on their adaptability and strategies during the match.

Match Prediction

Gentle Mates appear better prepared at the moment, thanks to their successful pre-season games and roster stability. Meanwhile, KOI is still finding its footing after their recent roster changes, and their lack of synergy could be a significant drawback. If Gentle Mates can capitalize on their advantage on the first map, such as Pearl, they are likely to secure the win.

Predicted Score: 2-1 in favor of Gentle Mates.Gentle Mates’ strength in their current lineup and preparation gives them a slight but noticeable edge in this matchup.