The lower bracket of the EMEA Stage 1 playoffs continued today with two more teams going home. Team Heretics Team Heretics Europe Rank #1 koshmaras Martynas Namikas Wo0t Mert Alkan RieNs Enes Ecirli benjyfishy Benjamin David Fish Boo Ričardas Lukaševičius survived a high-stakes overtime 2-1 versus FNATIC FNATIC Europe Rank #6 crashies Austin Roberts Boaster Jake Howlett kaajak Kajetan Haremski CyvOph Clement Millard Veqaj Sylvain Pattyn Alfajer Emir Ali Beder , while Eternal Fire Eternal Fire Europe Rank #13 Izzy Baran Yılmaz audaz Soner Ekiz Favian Enes Yiğiter echo Ömür Serkan Şenol nekky Anıl Dağdeviren bowled Gentle Mates Gentle Mates Europe Rank #7 starxo Patryk Kopczynski bipo Taranvir Singh marteen Martin Pátek GLYPH Conner Garcia Minny Patrik Hušek over 2-0.

Heretics scrape past FNATIC in clutch-filled nailbiter

For the first match of the day, two former regional kings in Heretics and FNATIC faced off for the first time since the grand final of Stage 1 2025.

The series began on Heretics' frequent pick of Fracture. Heretics had a strong 5-2 start, doing well to take forward space on their defense. However, they gave FNATIC a way back in with a triple ultimate investment in a 3v5 in round eight; FNATIC seized the opportunity to draw the half back to 6-6.

The second half was a similar story. Heretics won a second pistol and a bonus round for a 9-6 lead but could not respond to FNATIC's coordinated retakes later on; FNATIC won the last six rounds in a row to win 13-10 and hand Heretics their first defeat on Fracture this year. kaajak and benjyfishy stood at the top of the scoreboard with 25 kills each.

Lotus was an utter 13-2 stomp by the side of Heretics. FNATIC had zero answers to Heretics' attack as they got run over and outduelled on every site. RieNs ' Fade utility and fragging stood apart from the rest with 19 kills and a 1.96 rating; benjyfishy trailed behind with 15 kills and a 1.60 rating.

Everything came down to Ascent. Heretics held a slight advantage with a 7-5 half, at one point going up 9-7, but an impossible 2v5 from Alfajer and crashies flipped the momentum in an instant.

The individuals continued to push FNATIC forward round by round. Alfajer found a 4K for 9-9, followed by a crashies 1v2 for 11-9, and then a CyvOph 1v2 for 12-9.

Heretics needed a hero, and RieNs answered the call. First with a 1v1 ace for 12-10 and then a 1v2 for 12-11, he pulled Heretics back from the brink almost by himself as Heretics forced overtime. A chaotic final round finally determined a victor as Boo pulled off yet another 1v2 to win 15-13 for his side.

Alfajer's best efforts weren't enough for FNATIC to take the win as the Vyse player ended the map with 31 kills. RieNs, once again the MVP for Heretics, racked up 24 kills for a cumulative 57/37/16 KDA in the series.

FNATIC are now eliminated, missing out on their organization's home event in London and failing to qualify for two international events in a row for the first time in VCT history. For Heretics, the job is not done; an upper bracket rematch against Eternal Fire for the last Masters London spot in EMEA awaits them.

Eternal Fire dispatches Gentle Mates in quick 2-0

The second match was a first-time face-off between Eternal Fire and Gentle Mates. For the first map, Mates selected Ascent, which was a standard Jett-Phoenix mirror matchup. Eternal Fire, undeterred by their close loss to FUT Esports earlier this week, mounted an aggressive defense, overwhelming Mates with their teamfighting prowess. Mates couldn't take control at any point in the map as an 8-4 half closed out in simple 13-5 fashion.

Mates had a solid start on Lotus, going up 3-0 after a failed round two force buy from Eternal Fire. A 1v3 from nekky in round five, however, put EF back in the driver's seat; audaz followed up with two clutches of his own in the following rounds as the Turkish team won eight consecutive rounds for an 8-4 half.

A pistol for EF got them up to 12-5. Mates attempted to rally, closing the gap to 12-9, but it was too late—EF held strong on the C site to close out the map 13-9. nekky led from the front, ending with a 25/16/9 KDA, 291 ACS, and 1.40 rating on Fade.

The Ascension squad sends Mates home and is now one game away from their first Masters, with only Heretics left to stand in their way. The fateful lower bracket matchup will play out on Friday, May 15.