DRX vs FunPlus Phoenix Prediction: Bet on FunPlus Phoenix to win

The second leg of the second round of the VCT Stage 2: Masters Copenhagen lower bracket will take place on Monday, July 18. In this game, the Koreans from DRX and the Europeans from FunPlus Phoenix will clash.

VCT Stage 2: Masters Copenhagen is the main tournament of the second stage of the new Valorant Champions Tour 2022. The top 12 teams from 6 regions will battle it out in Copenhagen for the VCT Points needed to qualify for the final tournament of the season - the Valorant Champions. The tournament takes place from 10th to 24th July.

In the opening match of this tournament, DRX faced NORTHEPTION, who could only resist on their own choice. When DRX switched to their map, the Japanese were only able to take one map. With a 2-0 win on the maps, DRX got into the match, for the playoff stage. In the match to get out of the group, the boys got pretty lucky. DRX faced FunPlus Phoenix, who was playing with substitutes. FPX was only able to show their game on the first map, while the Koreans easily managed to create a comeback on the maps, thus beating the European team 2-1 on the maps. In the first round of the playoffs, the Koreans were just as lucky. DRX met with Leviatán, who first surprised everyone by beating the Koreans 13-6 on the first map, but DRX with the same attitude won the second map, well, and on the third map they only had to press. After beating Leviatán 2-1 on the maps, DRX advanced to the semifinals of the upper bracket, where they faced OpTic Gaming. After starting the first map confidently, the Koreans relaxed, giving up two maps in a row, thereby falling to the lower bracket. Today DRX will meet FunPlus Phoenix, with whom the guys have already played in this tournament, but then FPX was with a substitute.

This is not the first time we have seen this team on the international stage. This season, DRX has already played in the Masters, and they also received a direct ticket to the Valorant Champions, so this tournament is not their first. The way to Copenhagen for the Koreans was quite simple. After a 5th-6th place at the Masters Reykjavík, DRX returned to their region with unreal form. The entire second regional went undefeated on the maps, holding a win-streak of 10 games in a row so far, with a score of 2-0 or 3-0.

DRX is a Korean VALORANT discipline team formed through the acquisition of the former Vision Strikers line-up. DRX was previously known as KING-ZONE DragonX and DragonX. They are also currently competing in League of Legends. This squad has taken over the Korean region since its inception, becoming an undefeated team in a short time. Every regional tournament was won by DRX, but when the Valorant Champions Tour was announced, a change began. After winning the regional Masters, DRX sensationally lost to NUTURN Gaming in the semifinal match of the second regional tour, thus missing out on the first international Masters series tournament. From there, DRX continued its dominance in its region. Having qualified for Masters: Berlin, the Koreans were able to reach the play-off stage but lost in the first round to Gambit Esports, who eventually took the tournament. At the Valorant Champions, the boys went straight through, but Cloud9 Blue did not let DRX into the playoffs, leaving them in only 9-12th place. For the 2022 season, DRX had a pretty good showing at their first international tournament. They got a 5th-6th place at Masters Reykjavík, which was a new record for the organization.

Current VLR ranking: #1 Korea

The best map in terms of win rate: Fracture - 100% for 4 maps

The worst map in terms of win rate: Icebox - 0% for 1 map

FunPlus Phoenix faced XERXIA Esports in their opening match, where they managed to pick up an important win, 2-1 on the maps. In the match, against DRX, things started rather briskly for FunPlus Phoenix. With a win on their opponent's pick, all that was left was to pick up one map out of two to make the playoffs from first place. Unfortunately, the team fell just short of SUYGETSU, who had yet to deal with a visa to Denmark at this match. After a 2-1 defeat, FunPlus Phoenix had no trouble beating NORTHEPTION 2-0 in the bottom set, thereby advancing to the play-off stage from second place in the group. The play-off stage itself started with another European derby. FunPlus Phoenix faced Fnatic, who went straight into the playoff stage after finishing first in the regional qualifiers. FPX had a huge chance to win the first map, but the guys let their game go after the change of sides and were unable to show anything on the second map. In the lower net, FunPlus Phoenix met Guild Esports, but that wasn't the most important thing. It was in this match that we saw SUYGETSU make his debut on the international stage, as he was able to make a visa, after which he flew straight to Copenhagen. Everything but FunPlus Phoenix's Breeze map looks good, with SUYGETSU in the line-up adding to FPX's trademark style of play. Tonight FunPlus Phoenix will meet DRX, who in full formation can be beaten.

This is the first time we have seen this team on the international stage, but they have shown since qualifying for the Masters Reykjavík 2021 that they are worthy of entering the international arena. However, in Reykjavík, they were denied a third place, and in Berlin, they were denied by Forze, who was in the lower bracket with difficulty but managed to send FunPlus Phoenix away for a long holiday. FPX looked very different in 2022. The organization immediately began to dominate the European region but missed this year's Masters Reykjavík due to visa issues. And it wasn't until the fourth attempt that we saw them at Masters, but also with problems. SUYGETSU has visa problems at the moment. A lot of people say that Dima will be able to come to the play-off stage, so at the moment the guys are playing with a substitute, SEIDER, who plays for Alliance at Valorant Regional League Northern Europe: Polaris (Alliance did not win a single match in the last VRL NE: Polaris Split).

For FunPlus Phoenix, the Valorant Champions Tour 2021 season ended back in August. Defeat at the hands of Forze ruined any chance of FPX even taking part in the Last Chance Qualifier, but the organization did not grieve for long. Having signed SUYGETSU at the beginning of October, they began training and testing again. Finally, in early December the signing of ardiis put an end to the roster issues. For the VCT 2022 season, ANGE1 and the company decided to start with a little trickery. This squad has enough players to participate in both EU and CIS qualifiers. As a result, FunPlus Phoenix took the easy road, taking part in CIS qualifications, where they got through the first week without any problems. Phoenix started the first week at EMEA Challengers with a win, against BIG. The teams traded spades on the first maps, but then the real battle began on the decisive map. In the end with a score of 13:11 on the third map and 2:1 in the match, FunPlus Phoenix came out victorious, picking up their first win in the group stage. In the match, against Gambit Esports, this squad was able to make the breakthrough that had long been missing, winning the close encounter 2-1. After a long break in the matches, it became known that baddyG would replace ANGE1, who was unable to play at the moment. The opening match, against Team Liquid, went as easily as possible, winning 2-0 on the maps. Against LDN UTD, the game didn't go well, losing 2:1, and in the match against Natus Vincere, we saw a wonderful comeback from 1:0 on the maps. Further on baddyG changed other players in the line-up, but it didn't matter as even with those substitutions FunPlus Phoenix took first place in this tournament, losing only one map in the playoffs (It happened in the grand final, against G2 Esports. FunPlus Phoenix then won with a score of 3-1). And now we were getting ready to see FunPlus Phoenix in their first international tournament of the year, but most of the squad couldn't get visas to Iceland, so the organization gave up their slot, giving it to Tem Liquid. By the way, Riot Games went along with FunPlus Phoenix and awarded them VCT points for the 8th playoff spot, as FPX was going through to the playoff stage. At the moment FunPlus Phoenix is hungry for wins and ready to win this tournament again. The group stage was pretty successful for FPX. Finishing third in the group, the boys qualified for the playoffs. In the first round FunPlus Phoenix beat Team Liquid, but in their first chance to qualify for the Masters, the boys lost to Fnatic. Falling into the lower bracket FunPlus Phoenix was able to win Acend 2-1, thus getting back into the match, for a Masters ticket. The encounter, against M3 Champions, came out tense. Only on the third map, FPX was able to prove they were ready to compete in the world championship, defeating their opponents 2-1 on the maps. The lower bracket final came out much easier. Guild Esports was unable to do anything, losing 3-0 on the maps. FunPlus Phoenix was unable to do anything in the grand final, losing 3-0 on the maps to Fnatic.

Current VLR ranking: #1 EU

The best map in terms of win rate: Ascent - 86% for 7 maps

The worst map in terms of win rate: Icebox - 17% for 6 maps

These teams have met each other once. It was in the group stage of the tournament. That time DRX won with a score of 2-1 on the maps. However, FunPlus Phoenix had a substitute, and also did not know that they had a bad Breeze, which they had better not play in this tournament (In the match DRX vs FPX, the decisive map was Breeze, which DRX won with a score of 13:6. Later, FunPlus Phoenix lost on the Breeze map 13-3 in the match, against Guild Esports).

In this match, I will take the victory of FunPlus Phoenix for 2.25.

Also, I will take Total Over 2.5 for 1.96.

And on the first map, I'll take a handicap (+2.5) 2 for 1.65.