For the second straight stage in VCT 2022, LOUD LOUD Brazil Unranked dgzin Douglas Silva v1nny Vínicius Gonçalves pANcada Bryan Luna tuyz Arthur Andrade cauanzin Cauan Pereira have cruised to a Brazilian title. They capped off an undefeated Stage 2 run with a grand finals sweep over Ninjas In Pyjamas Ninjas In Pyjamas Inactive .

Coming off a heartbreaking grand finals loss to OpTic Gaming OpTic Gaming Inactive in Reykjavik, LOUD set about dominating the Brazilian scene for a second chance at an international trophy. Their path to the playoffs was littered with blowouts.

The tone was set in their opening match in which top contender FURIA FURIA Brazil Unranked heat Olavo Marcelo raafa Rafael Lima mwzera Leonardo Serrati havoc Ilan Eloy Khalil Khalil Schmidt were only able to take seven rounds in two maps. The rest of the group stage was a waltz in the park for LOUD. The only time an opponent reached double-digit rounds in a map happened when the now-disbanded Gamelanders Blue Gamelanders Blue Inactive forced overtime on LOUD's permaban of Split in a meaningless final game.

Six out of the eight maps LOUD played in the playoffs were against NIP. After cleanly defeating Los Grandes Los Grandes Brazil Unranked Quick Gabriel Lima mazin Matheus Araújo jzz João Pedro GuhRVN Gustavo Ferreira frz Leandro Gomes 2-0, LOUD faced NIP in the Bo5 upper bracket finals. They surrendered only 15 rounds in a three-map sweep to reach the grand finals.

NIP faced more adversity in their Stage 2 run. Keyd Stars Keyd Stars Inactive , MIBR MIBR Brazil Unranked artzin Arthur Araujo xenom Eduardo Soeiro cortezia Gabriel Cortez nzr Agustin Ibarra aspas Erick Santos , and TBK Esports TBK Esports Brazil Unranked vit9ine Needy Champzera Joaquim Alves Myssen Rodrigo Myssen all took maps off them in the group stage, and NIP barely survived a 3-2 nailbiter against Keyd Stars after being swept by LOUD in the upper finals.

Grand Finals

The grand finals were slightly more contested than the upper finals. NIP were forced to play their Bind permaban, and LOUD immediately picked it and won it to take the series lead.

As the only map they ever lost more than once, Fracture was one of LOUD's weak points in Stage 1. NIP managed to make it the location of just the second time a team took double digit rounds off LOUD this stage, but LOUD still converted the victory.

NIP had only lost Icebox once against Brazilian competition not named LOUD. However, they were defeated by LOUD 13-4 in the upper finals, and did not fare much better in the second matchup. A 13-6 victory sealed LOUD's place among the Masters 2: Copenhagen representatives.

In Stage 1, LOUD set a high bar with over 2 rounds won for every round lost, but they cleared it with an astounding 2.23 rounds won vs. lost throughout a 16 map win streak during Stage 2. As a consequence of winning by such drastic margins, all five of LOUD's players finished in the top six of the K/D rankings for Brazil Stage 2.

NIP's Masters 2 hopes live on since they will play in the LATAM/BR Last Chance Qualifier against KRÜ Esports KRÜ Esports Latin America South Unranked keznit Angelo Mori Mazino Roberto Rivas adverso Benjamín Poblete Shyy Fabian Usnayo Melser Marco Eliot Machuca Amaro for another chance at Copenhagen.

Looking Ahead

LOUD have qualified for Masters 2: Copenhagen which begins on July 10. If NIP win the LATAM/BR Last Chance Qualifier, LOUD will be placed directly into the playoffs.

NIP will face KRÜ in the LATAM/BR LCQ on June 30 for the twelfth and final spot at Copenhagen.