Zeal Esports opened up its VCT 2022 Challenger Stage 1 PH with a rousing 2-0 victory over South Built Esports in their Group A best-of-three match on Thursday, Feb. 10.
One of the two directly invited teams in the group stage, Zeal was quick to show might as it finished off South Built in just two games.
Zeal went off to a hot start in the opening map in Split taking a 9-3 tally in the first 12 rounds. Carl "SenyorCarL" Carandang and Keith "FireSaiyajiN" Madarang anchored the attack with 17 and 16 kills respectively on their Raze and Reyna picks.
South Built came out roaring in the second half as it took the first five straight rounds after the switch. Zeal, however, weathered the storm as 39beats, who finished with game-high 23 kills, took over in the last five rounds of the game to take the first point of the series, 13-9.
South built was able to solve the puzzle in the second map in Haven as it took a strong 6-0 start. Zeal fought back but South built showed poise and managed to keep its hold of the driver seat, 8-4, in the first half. Zeal, though, completed a 9-2 comeback in the ensuing rounds capped by a clutch from Firesaiyajin's Jett to close out the series with a 13-10 Map 2 win.
Senyorcarl on the Skye took the Game 2 MVP honors with 20 kills on a 1.6 KDA. Azys top scored in kills with 24 for South Built but went for naught as the squad struggled after the switch.
Both Zeal and South Built will have Naos Esports as their next assignments. Zeal will face Naos on Saturday, Feb. 12, while its match against South Built will be on the Sunday, Feb 13.