In a stunning upset, Bleed Esports has been ousted from the VCT Pacific Kickoff 2024 following defeats to both T1 and Global Esports on matchday two.
The Singaporean exit was marred by critical errors, with the team’s players finding themselves under intense scrutiny from the Valorant community. One player under the spotlight is Bleed’s latest addition, Jaccob “yay” Whiteaker, whose performance left much to be desired, especially during a pivotal match against GE.
Before facing GE, Bleed faced a crushing defeat against the mechanically adept T1. However, hopes were still high among their fans for a comeback in the next match, considering GE’s underdog status in the competition.
However, the deciding match unfolded in an intense fashion. Bleed struggled in the initial game on Sunset, ultimately falling to GE’s Gary “Blazek1ng” Dastin with a score of 9-13. Yet, they rallied in the second match on Icebox, showcasing impressive teamwork led by Derrick “deryeon” Yee and Javier “Egoist” Dong Qing, clinching a narrow victory at 13-10.
As the tension mounted in the final showdown on Split, Bleed found themselves trailing GE in the first half with a score of 4-8. Despite a valiant effort from Deryeon and Egoist in the second half, yay’s struggles in critical moments proved costly. The team fell short in their comeback bid, ultimately losing by a narrow margin of 11-13.
Overall, yay’s dismal performance has left fans and pundits divided about the end results. The majority of viewers felt that he was overhyped, and that he was not ready to play at the highest level, while other defended him and questioned Bleed’s decision to give him an alternative role. However, yay recently revealed that he was suffering from vision problems during the match.
Bleed’s elimination leaves SEA with one spot in playoffs
Bleed’s departure narrows Southeast Asia’s representation to a solitary spot in the VCT Pacific Kickoff 2024 playoffs. While Paper Rex has clinched a berth, Team RRQ, Talon Esports, and Team Secret vie fiercely for the remaining position.
With Paper Rex commanding favoritism owing to their stellar regional standing and recent form, the remaining contenders — Team RRQ, Talon Esports, and Team Secret — harbor ambitions of staging an upset.
