The first day of the VCT 2025: Americas Stage 1 playoffs will see Sentinels and Cloud9 duke it out. Considering both teams were in the top three of their respective groups during the previous stage, the victor here may not be easy to predict.
The VCT Americas group stage has concluded, knocking out such teams as FURIA, LOUD, and Leviatán. The squads that landed second and third in their respective groups will kick off the upper bracket of the playoffs. One of the two matches that day is Sentinels vs Cloud9.
Both teams played well in the tournament so far, showcasing their skills and earning victories against some strong teams. While the stakes for the upcoming match don’t include elimination, defeat would send the losing team down to the lower bracket, forcing its players to participate in an additional match with elimination then on the line.
Sentinels and Cloud9 are both teams that have shown up in almost every match during the VCT’s group play stage. While they’ve faced bumps along the way, like Sentinels losing to KRÜ Esports and Cloud9’s defeats at the hands of MIBR and G2 Esports, they both reached the top three of their respective groups, securing spots in the playoffs.
Regarding Sentinels, N4RRATE has been the most consistent player for the team, getting two MVPs in the tournament and playing well in every match to date. Following him are Zellsis with his support plays and the team’s long-time duelist, zekken, two players to watch out for in the upcoming match.
Cloud9’s v1c is easily the most consistent player on his team currently, showcasing strong play in every match. However, the rest of C9 is fairly inconsistent, including neT, Xeppaa, and mitch, even if mitch does bring strong supportive utility. The team’s performance against G2 was arguably the best fans had seen of C9’s players, and the same performance in the upcoming match could potentially give them the win.
Below are the rosters for both teams:
Cloud9
Sentinels:
Fortunately for fans, predicting which agents the team will go for isn’t too hard, considering the team usually goes for the same handful of picks. These include a duelist like Neon and Yori, and a sentinel that’s usually Vyse or Cypher, and Omen, Astra, or sometimes Viper for smoking purposes. Initiators usually include Breach, Sova, or Tejo.
Cloud9’s agent pool isn’t too diverse, either. The team usually opts to go for agents like Jett, Omen, Sova, Cypher, and Breach. This was also the exact composition that helped the team win its only round against G2, so C9 will likely want to play something similar here.
Sentinels and Cloud9 have faced off against each other on the big stage five times. Cloud9 has won three times, giving it a 60% win rate against the opposing team.
Both teams may have performed similarly during the group stage, but one team may have the advantage. Sentinels is the favorite to win the upcoming match with a line of 1.62. In contrast, Cloud9’s 2.15 betting line cements it as the underdog.
Sentinels may have gotten more wins than Cloud9 during group stage play, but it’s important to remember that C9 went against better teams. Although Sentinels usually has excellent starts, coming in strong and taking the first game, the team has been seen to fall off later in matches before. By contrast, Cloud9 has strong adaptability, which will likely shine in the upcoming match.
Between v1c’s fragging and mitch’s support, especially the type of support the player showcased against G2, C9 may capture the second and third games. neT and Xeppaa are inconsistent, but the same can be said for many of the Sentinels players. Ultimately, Cloud9 excels in the same aggressive playing style that Sentinels is susceptible to getting overwhelmed by, which could secure the win for C9.
If you think you know which team will win, then place your bet now!
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