Finally, after many days of waiting, the Arena of Fame community welcomed the final match day of the Arena of Fame (AOF) Winter 2022. This is the last major domestic tournament of 2022 in the Vietnamese Arena of Fame scene. The grand final will feature the three strongest teams with the largest fan base in the Vietnamese Arena of Fame: V Gaming (VGM), BOX Gaming (BOX), and Saigon Phantom (SGP).
Before the fierce matches take place, the teams shared their goals for this decisive match day. Along with that, they provided insights about their opponents and the preparations they have made to fulfill their missions.
Though they have become the “Kings of the World,” VGM is currently navigating a narrow pathway to reach the final round against SGP and BOX. What do you think about the team’s chances of winning this time, and will the curse of the “King of Second Place” be broken?
VGM.Maris: No team likes to be called the “king of second place.” We have stood back up after defeats and are striving tirelessly for the AIC 2022 championship. This will be a glorious year for V Gaming if we can also win the AOF Winter 2022. We are confident that we can achieve victory and bring home the championship title.
In the past few days, what strategies and mental preparations have you made for this AOF final round?
VGM.Maris: We have prepared and practiced very thoroughly for various scenarios. Under the guidance of Coach NoFear, I believe the team can create surprises.
In the upcoming playoffs, what do you see as the biggest strength of your opponent (BOX) that your team needs to pay attention to?
VGM.Maris: The biggest strength of BOX is probably the extremely high individual skills of their players, notably Daim, Gray… They are also a team that coordinates very well in team fights. Basically, BOX does not have a very explosive playstyle, but it is very tight. This will be something that VGM needs to really pay attention to and find ways to address in the finals.
For BOX, in the past few days, what strategies and mental preparations have you made for this AOF final round?
BOX.Daim: We have watched our important losses together and practiced the mistakes we have made. Our goal in recent weeks has been to minimize repeating the mistakes we faced in the past. Regarding our mentality, we are all young players with limited experience playing in front of cheering crowds. Therefore, we will try to keep ourselves in check to avoid losing control.
VGM has commented on BOX, so what can the players of BOX say about their opponent VGM?
BOX.Daim: VGM is currently the team with the most cohesive playstyle in the AOF, making it very difficult to disrupt their formation. We need to pay more attention to vision control. VGM always does well in this aspect. If we can control well in the early game, we believe we can gain an advantage over VGM.
Moving on to SGP, can you share your strategies and mental preparations for this AOF final round with the audience?
SGP.Lai Bang: Confidence in mentality and gameplay is what Saigon Phantom has been practicing lately. We believe that with the young players of Saigon Phantom, stability is the most important thing. In recent days, Coach TiTan has been practicing important strategies with the team. We have all reminded ourselves that we need to have a strong mentality to overcome difficulties.
Which team do you hope to face in the upcoming finals?
SGP.Lai Bang: Saigon Phantom is ready to face any opponent. However, if given the choice, we would like to face VGM again and win against them in the finals.
Having left BOX to join SGP, Jiro is now very close to the championship trophy with his new team. How will it feel to face the team that brought your name to prominence in this AOF Winter 2022 final?
SGP.Jiro: It will be a great honor for me. BOX has always been a good team and has helped me grow. I will try to perform well to prove to my old team my progress.
Thank you for the insights shared by all three teams, and I wish you all a high-performance day and the best results for your teams.