VCT 2025: Pacific Stage 1 continues, and the first day of the second week will wrap up with a clash between one of the region's strongest teams, T1, and VCT league newcomers, Nongshim RedForce. In this article, we’ll examine their current form and identify the favorite and underdog of the match.
Current Form of the Teams
T1
T1 kicked off 2025 with a strong performance, finishing second at VCT 2025: Pacific Kickoff and later claiming a historic championship at Masters Bangkok 2025, defeating G2 Esports in the final and taking revenge on DRX, whom they had lost to twice before. Out of their last five matches, the team has won four, with their only loss coming against EDward Gaming — the reigning world champions. They also opened Pacific Stage 1 with a win over ZETA Division.
| Date & Time | Team 1 | Score | Team 2 | Tournament |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 22, 12:45 | T1 | 2 - 1 | ZETA DIVISION | VCT 2025: Pacific Stage 1 |
| Mar 02, 13:00 | T1 | 3 - 2 | G2 Esports | Masters Bangkok 2025 |
| Mar 01, 12:00 | T1 | 3 - 1 | EDward Gaming | Masters Bangkok 2025 |
| Feb 28, 14:15 | T1 | 2 - 1 | Team Vitality | Masters Bangkok 2025 |
| Feb 27, 12:00 | T1 | 1 - 2 | EDward Gaming | Masters Bangkok 2025 |
The team hasn’t made any roster changes ahead of the new stage, but the removal of Bind — where they had a 75% win rate — might slightly affect their map pool flexibility.
Nongshim RedForce
Nongshim RedForce are newcomers to VCT Pacific, making their debut at Kickoff 2025 and finishing in 5th-6th place — an impressive result for a new team, especially considering their only losses came against DRX and TALON, who took first and second place. Out of their last five matches, they’ve won three, including their opening match at Pacific Stage 1 against Rex Regum Qeon.
| Date & Time | Team 1 | Score | Team 2 | Tournament |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 24, 12:45 | Nongshim RedForce | 2 - 1 | Rex Regum Qeon | VCT 2025: Pacific Stage 1 |
| Feb 02, 10:00 | Nongshim RedForce | 1 - 2 | TALON | VCT 2025: Pacific Kickoff |
| Feb 01, 10:00 | Nongshim RedForce | 2 - 1 | Rex Regum Qeon | VCT 2025: Pacific Kickoff |
| Jan 26, 10:00 | Nongshim RedForce | 2 - 1 | BOOM Esports | VCT 2025: Pacific Kickoff |
| Jan 20, 10:00 | Nongshim RedForce | 1 - 2 | DRX | VCT 2025: Pacific Kickoff |
The team has remained stable with no roster changes.
Teams’ Map Pool
Expected map ban and pick phase:
Ban 1:
- T1 — Ascent
- NS — Fracture
Pick 1:
- T1 — Split
- NS — Lotus
Ban 2:
- T1 — Pearl
- NS — Haven
Decider:
- Icebox
Head-to-Head Matches
This will be the first-ever meeting between T1 and Nongshim RedForce. That’s not surprising, as NS only debuted in VCT this year, having previously competed on the Challengers scene. Their rivalry is just beginning.
Match Prediction
T1 is in incredible form right now — not only have they secured an international trophy, but they continue to perform consistently in the region. Their experience, team synergy, and ability to adapt give them a clear advantage.
Nongshim RedForce have shown confidence in their league debut, but they still lack experience against top-tier opponents. Despite solid performances on Lotus and Haven, the difference in skill is likely to show on the third map.
Prediction: T1 will win 2:0.
VCT 2025: Pacific Stage 1 runs from March 22 to May 21 in a LAN format at the Sangam Colosseum in Seoul. Twelve partnered VCT Pacific teams are competing for three spots at Masters Toronto, as well as for valuable Pacific Points needed to qualify for the upcoming Champions.
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