Team preview ahead of Worlds 2023: Veteran Levi to lead disgraced VCS champion to elite status

Another team that will be playing at Worlds are old friends from Vietnam – GAM Esports. But the Vietnamese champions need to make up for the MSI aftertaste.

GAM Esports are one of the established and well-known teams in the world. The unquestionable Vietnamese number one has traditionally made it to the world tournament again, but this time they have a very difficult double journey ahead of them.

The first hurdle is the format change. The Worlds has overhauled the established system for this year and now Vietnam has lost a sure participation in the elite competition for its champion. The number of qualifiers for the Vietnamese VCS (2) has remained the same, however both teams now start in the Play-in stage.

The second hurdle, specific to GAM Esports, will be reputation repair. After all, the Vietnamese champion totally flopped at this year’s MSI. The tournament had barely started and the VCS representative packed up and went home after two series. In particular, the loss to Movistar R7 is something the gang around Levi will want to forget very quickly.

Will the team be strong enough to slip further?

GAM Esports have been drawn into Group A, containing Movistar R7, LOUD and PSG Talon. Ignoring the LLA representatives (R7), the main battle for advancement will be between Brazil (LOUD) and Taiwan (PSG Talon). We are more or less talking about a group of regional champions and a very fly battle is expected.

The Vietnamese team has focused more on concentration and better execution of their game after the drubbing at MSI. However, the team, which has experienced a generational change, has one certainty in its ranks. That is Vietnamese legend Levi, who will once again lead the Vietnamese Shiks towards further success.

But to succeed, they need to show more consistent performances and most importantly eliminate over-aggressiveness. Vietnamese teams generally have the label of being very unpleasant teams with a difficult prediction. What is certain is that the traditional aggressiveness will be on full display here. Let’s just hope for a more efficient serve.

The opening series against LOUD will be very important for both of these teams. A possible setback could shake the psychological mood within the team. While the format allows for the possibility of correction, any stumble can add significant complications.

Vietnam’s number one team certainly has the chops to make it to the elite. But her path will not be easy. What we do know is that Group A will offer very attractive matches. But only one can advance from this group of death.

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