KRÜ Esports stomps LOUD, will face MIBR next in lower bracket

KRÜ Esports KRÜ Esports Latin America South Rank #2 keznit Angelo Mori Mazino Roberto Rivas adverso Benjamín Poblete Shyy Fabian Usnayo Melser Marco Eliot Machuca Amaro defeated LOUD LOUD Brazil Rank #1 dgzin Douglas Silva v1nny Vínicius Gonçalves pANcada Bryan Luna tuyz Arthur Andrade cauanzin Cauan Pereira 2-0 in the VCT 2025 Americas Kickoff lower bracket. It was a fast-paced matchup between two experienced LATAM organizations, and a rematch of an upper-bracket match only weeks ago. This time around, KRÜ got the win when it mattered most, while LOUD was eliminated from Masters Bangkok contention.

The series began with KRÜ Esports picking Bind, using the same map and Vyse composition with which they won their previous series. LOUD decided to add Deadlock to their composition, though not committing to two sentinel agents like most Deadlock compositions on Bind. An adverso triple kill got KRÜ the first pistol round, and the team's multiple damage-dealing abilities whittled down LOUD's attempts to squeeze onto sites. Melser was the star of the first half, as KRÜ entered the half up 9-3.

LOUD won the second pistol on Bind to keep the map within reach, but Melser stepped up and won a 1v1 on the eco round to steal any hope of a comeback away from LOUD.

KRÜ dominantly ended Bind, winning the map 13-5 and taking the early lead in the series.

Haven was next up, with KRÜ looking to rebound after a tough showing on the attack side of the map in its last series versus NRG Esports NRG Esports North America Rank #4 FiNESSE Pujan Mehta s0m Sam Oh Verno Andrew Maust mada Adam Pampuch Ethan Ethan Arnold . However, on the defense side, KRÜ remained strong with a pistol win and early lead. Mazino was rolling over his opponents on Breach, hitting his shots while using his utility perfectly to set up his teammates and stop any strategy LOUD attempted.

Just before halftime arrived, KRÜ converted a round that seemed unwinnable, thanks to some chaos working in favor with a keznit retake. The half ended just like Bind, as KRÜ entered the half up 9-3.

LOUD had to put hope in a 9-3 comeback, and with KRÜ's challenges on the attack side last time, it was possible. It began with the pistol that LOUD secured, and the game seemed winnable for when LOUD got the Operator in dgzin 's hands in the bonus round and was able to convert it.

The lead from KRÜ nearly disappeared in round 20, but it was truly gone in round 22 when LOUD tied the game 11-11. It took a 3k entry on A site from keznit and a 4k from Shyy to prevent a complete collapse on Haven, as KRÜ won 13-11 and swept the series 2-0.

With this win, KRÜ has secured a top-four finish in the debut tournament for the Americas region in 2025, and the team will face MIBR MIBR Brazil Rank #3 artzin Arthur Araujo xenom Eduardo Soeiro cortezia Gabriel Cortez nzr Agustin Ibarra aspas Erick Santos in the lower bracket semifinal for a chance to qualify for Masters Bangkok.