On the first day of the VCS Spring 2022 playoffs, a showdown took place between CERBERUS Esports and Team Secret. One side was the reigning champion of VCS Winter 2021, while the other was a resurgent TS with former SBTC Esports veterans like Artifact, Penguin, and Hiro02. This match was incredibly important for both teams, especially for CES, as they have been performing poorly this Spring.
However, in the end, the “Hound God” could not regain the form or the performances that helped them ascend to the throne in VCS Winter 2021 last year. On a day when EGO was unable to compete, the members of CES’s lineup didn’t even resemble the reigning champions. In all three games, TS displayed complete dominance. In fact, the time TS ended game 2 was even faster than game 1. In game 3, despite the kill difference not being too significant, TS held all the advantages. The 3-0 victory for “Hidden Religion” was fully deserved.
Witnessing the dismal defeat of CES players against a team that finished 6th in VCS Winter 2021, just above SE due to tiebreakers, fans of the “Hound God” were left disappointed. Not to mention, the lackluster determination displayed by the players further frustrated many fans. In particular, player EGO has become a controversial topic as some CES fans argue that the coaching staff should give this player a chance if they truly want to keep him on the roster. Meanwhile, some fans believe that whether or not EGO plays, CES would still struggle to secure a victory.
Additionally, there are still some fans who support CES’s handling of the EGO situation and hope that this team can achieve better results in the upcoming Summer Split, especially with the new Korean player possibly debuting in VCS.
There is no denying EGO’s importance, but the other CES players have not maintained the performance that led them to their championship in VCS Winter 2021. This Spring will surely serve as a valuable lesson for CES members to reflect and adjust, especially as they will need to fight not just for the championship but also for a spot in the 2022 World Championship this Summer.