In the NRG vs Sentinels semifinal matchup, two of North America’s most beloved teams are set to go head-to-head. Here are our predictions

With the coveted spot at the Masters Madrid on the line in this single elimination bracket playoffs, both teams are ready to give their 100%, as there is no room for errors.

NRG vs Sentinels Semifinal Live

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Having fallen short of expectations last year, NRG enters VCT 2024 with a revamped roster that appears stronger than ever. Widely predicted as one of the top favorites of the Americas Kickoff event, their performance so far validates that expectation. For Sentinels, this matchup holds added significance as a victory would mark their first appearance in the final of a VCT event since 2021.

The script is real

We play NRG to go to Madrid

— Sentinels (@Sentinels) February 27, 2024

NRG vs Sentinels Prediction: Favorites vs Underdogs

In the battle between the two immensely popular NA teams, who do you think will come out on top? Keep up with our prediction guide to know.

Who Will Win?

For our prediction, we will go with NRG Esports to win the series.

It is Hard to bet against NRG Esports after watching their recent performance. While Sentinels have displayed improvement from the last season, we believe the firepower and coordination of Marved’s team will just prove too much for the Men in Red.

Expected Compositions

Sentinels played five BO3s so far in contrast to NRG’s two. It is far easier to predict the composition of Sentinels as a result. However, we can definitely make an educated guess for NRG as well.

We have not seen anything out of the meta from Sentinels. They heavily favor a double controller setup on narrow maps like Split and Bind. Conversely, for wider maps such as Sunset, Breeze, and Ascent, a double-initiator composition is predominantly observed.

Sentinels Ascent Comp. Source: VLR

NRG Esports have adopted a similar approach to Sentinels, when it comes to agent composition. No unorthodox composition is seen from them yet. Ultimately, the team that excels at playing their natural game is likely to come out victorious.

NRG Sunset Comp. Source: VLR

Head-to-Head

The last time the two teams faced each other was during the 2023 VCT Americas League. NRG won that matchup and tied the H2H at 2-2.

NRG vs Sentinels: Best Betting Odds

The odds are fairly even for both sides, though NRG Esports hold a slight advantage.

• NRG win: NRG Esports have decimal odds of 1.58, while Sentinels’ odds are 2.29. Based on the odds, we predict a 2-1 victory for NRG.
• NRG win first map: Considering the current form of NRG and both teams’ performances in the event, we expect NRG to narrowly clinch the first map.
• Total maps: We predict a 3-map series, with at least one of them going overtime.

NRG vs Sentinels Preview

Now that you have seen our prediction for the NRG vs Sentinels matchup, here’s a preview of how both of these teams have performed up to this point.

NRG’s Unbeaten Group Stage Run

NRG Esports were seeded into a tough group with the likes of Cloud9, MIBR, and FURIA. However, they came out of the group practically unscathed. The NA’s finest did not lose a single map in two matches and barely ever looked in trouble throughout the group stage run.

After beating FURIA comfortably in the opening match, they went up against fellow NA giant, Cloud9. The match between the two American titans, though largely one-sided, saw a tense conclusion in the second map, where C9 staged a comeback.

Sentinels’s Journey Through Play-Ins

Sentinels lost their opening match of the Kickoff event against LOUD. However, when on the brink of elimination, the fan favorites showcased an exceptional resilience. With back-to-back super-close BO3 wins over 100T and Leviatán, Tenz and Co qualified for the play-ins.

Sentinels had a dramatic journey in the play-ins. After winning the first play-ins match against MIBR, they entered the final game against G2, needing to avoid a 2-0 loss to advance to the playoffs stage. Although they ultimately lost the match, Johnqt’s team successfully achieved their objective by winning the first map.

Key Players to Watch

• Zekken: Donning the role of Duelist in the Sentinels team, when there are so many players with incredible mechanics, signifies how special Zekken really is. The 18-year-old’s stellar performance in the current event is demonstrating exactly why he is the ideal pick for the duelist position.
• Tenz: Changing Tenz’s role could not lessen the appeal of his gameplay in any way. Even as a Controller, the 22-year-old is as dominant as ever on the server.
• Johnqt: Coming in from M80, Johnqt is proving in this event he was the perfect acquisition by Sentinels. The IGL of Sentinels has already shown us multiple big-brain strats and it will be interesting to see what else he has in the bags.
• Ethan: Ethan plays the most thankless role in every team he is a part of. Whether with EG or NRG, you may not see him frequently top the scoreboard, but his impact is unparalleled.
• Demon1: Demon1, on a tear once again, is disproving any notion of being a one-season wonder. To witness some of the best mechanics in the history of Valorant, make sure to check out his gameplay.

Sentinels vs NRG: VCT EMEA Kickoff 2024 Semifinal Rosters

NRG:

• Austin “crashies” Roberts
• Victor “Victor” Wong
• Max “Demon1” Mazanov
• Ethan “Ethan” Arnold
• Jimmy “Marved” Nguyen
• Chet “Chet” Singh (Coach)

Sentinels:

• Zachary “zekken” Patrone
• Bryan “pANcada” Luna
• Tyson “TenZ” Ngo
• Mouhamed “johnqt” Ouarid
• Jordan “Zellsis” Montemurro (Substitute)
• Adam “kaplan” Kaplan (Coach)

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