We continue our breakdown of all matches in the group stage of VCT 2025: China Stage. In the third week of play, Wolves Esports will face off against XLG Esports. Below, we’ll analyze both teams' current form and predict the outcome of this match.

Current Form of the Teams

Wolves Esports

Wolves Esports is a mid-tier team in the Chinese region. They don’t aim for leadership but are still considered stronger than most average teams. At VCT 2025: China Kickoff, the team placed 9th–12th, which didn’t allow them to qualify for Masters. In their last five matches, Wolves Esports secured four wins and suffered one loss. They defeated Trace Esports, JD Gaming (twice), and Dragon Ranger Gaming but lost to Nova Esports.

As mentioned above, Wolves Esports is a solid mid-tier team that confidently defeats similar-level opponents but falls short against the favorites. Their upcoming opponent is likely on the same level, if not weaker, so the team has every chance to win.

XLG Esports

On the other hand, XLG Esports can be considered newcomers to the tier-1 scene. They earned their VCT slot only at the beginning of 2025, which is why they’re still facing challenges with experience and other factors. In their last five matches, the team earned two wins against JD Gaming and All Gamers but lost three times to Bilibili Gaming, EDward Gaming, and JD Gaming.

While XLG Esports lacks tier-1 experience, the players are well-prepared. A few months into their VCT journey, they’ve already gained a mid-tier status. So in this upcoming match against a non-favorite opponent, the team might put on a great performance.

Team Map Pool

Expected bans:

• Wolves Esports will likely ban Split
• XLG Esports will ban Fracture

Expected picks:

• Wolves Esports may pick Ascent
• XLG Esports will pick Pearl

Head-to-Head Record

Over the past six months, the teams have faced each other four times: twice at the WALL-E Cup, once at SEM 2024, and once at VCT 2025: China Kickoff. Wolves won three out of the four matches with scores of 3:0, 3:1, and 2:0, indicating their dominance and greater experience in head-to-head matchups.

Match Prediction

At first glance, both teams seem mid-tier and almost equal in strength. However, the head-to-head stats suggest that Wolves Esports are the favorites going into this match. Three convincing wins over the past few months show that the team handles less experienced opponents well.

Predicted result: Wolves Esports to win 2:1

VCT 2025: China Stage 1 runs from March 13 to May 4 in LAN format at the VCT CN Arena in Shanghai. Twelve partnered VCT China teams are competing for three slots at Masters Toronto, as well as China Points required for qualifying for the upcoming World Championship.