Americas Dominance at VALORANT Masters Santiago: NRG and G2 Esports Secure Final Playoff Berths as Team Liquid and T1 Exit

NRG sweeps Team Liquid and G2 Esports eliminates T1 to claim the final Playoff spots at VALORANT Masters Santiago. See the full bracket and schedule.

By: AXL Media

Published: Mar 5, 2026, 7:23 AM EST

Source: The information in this article was sourced from Esports Insider

NRG Outclasses Team Liquid to Keep Championship Hopes Alive

Reigning VALORANT Champion NRG showcased their international pedigree by dismantling Team Liquid in a 2-0 sweep to advance to the Playoffs. The series opened on Breeze, where Team Liquid’s tactical holds kept the scoreline competitive at 7-5 during the first half. However, NRG’s disciplined retakes and a pivotal late-map timeout allowed them to string together critical rounds, edging out a 13-11 victory. The momentum shifted entirely on Abyss, where NRG’s Tejo neutralized Team Liquid’s Harbor-reliant utility. Former Liquid star Georgio ‘keiko’ Sanassy delivered a standout "revenge" performance, posting a 43/21/6 KDA and a dominant 284 ACS to lead NRG to a crushing 13-4 map win and a series sweep.

G2 Esports Exacts Revenge on T1 in Masters Bangkok Rematch

In a highly anticipated rematch of the Masters Bangkok 2025 finals, G2 Esports overcame their old rivals T1 with a 2-0 victory. On Breeze, G2’s Nathan ‘leaf’ Orf executed a series of lethal "backstabs" that disrupted T1’s defensive setups, securing a 13-6 win. The second map, Haven, initially appeared to be a blowout for T1, who raced to a 10-2 lead using an aggressive Iso/Yoru composition. However, G2 mounted a historic comeback fueled by Trent ‘trent’ Cairns, who spearheaded a second-half resurgence. Despite T1 investing multiple ultimates to halt the momentum, G2 forced overtime and eventually stole the map 16-14, eliminating the former Masters champions.

The Conclusion of the Swiss Stage and the Rise of Regional Seeds

With NRG and G2 Esports qualifying, the Swiss Stage has officially concluded, leaving Team Liquid (EMEA) and T1 (Pacific) on the sidelines. The tournament now transitions to the double-elimination Playoffs, where the four regional first seeds—BBL Esports (EMEA), FURIA (Americas), Nongshim RedForce (Pacific), and All Gamers (China)—will finally make their competitive debuts. The qualifying teams from the Swiss Stage, including NRG, G2, Paper Rex, and Gentle Mates, will now face these rested top seeds in a bracket that promises to test the endurance of the survivors against the fresh strategies of the regional leaders.