The first battle between NA and EU at Masters Reykjavik did not disappoint. Version1 and Team Liquid went to war in the middle of Day 2. The three map series saw triple overtime, a close second map, and domination by the NA squad to close it out. It was one of the most incredible series that Valorant has ever seen. Neither team should be ashamed of their showing. Team Liquid is certainly going to bounce back strong in the Lower Bracket, as expressed in an interview by Travis “L1NK” Mendoza.

L1NK spoke with Run It Back following the tough loss to discuss the experience of the match on LAN, what V1 did to overcome EMEA’s finest, and how Team Liquid feels after finding themselves one loss away from elimination.

L1NK discusses how Version1’s heavy post-plant play surprised Team Liquid

Run It Back: First off, how was it simply playing your first match on LAN of Masters Reykjavik?

L1NK: Honestly, I expected it to feel a little different. Obviously, in CS LANs, with the ping, etcetera, I thought it would feel a little more clean. That is the only thing I’d say is different than online. Nerves didn’t really come into the equation. Great place, great stage, it was good.

Run It Back: What was the experience, going up against the NA style of play?

L1NK: I wouldn’t say anyone in particular plays a massively different style than anyone else. Everyone sort of runs the same thing. Astra, after-plant with Viper, they were doing it with Sova. That is a bit different. You don’t see it much with Sova. Sova usually plays the site, but they played him more after-plant. I guess that is something you can take from it. I guess that was their game plan coming into this with a stand-in. They played with after-plant utility a lot.

Run It Back: We saw you in the Controller role, loading in as both Brimstone and Omen. A lot of people are calling it a mistake to not run Astra in the current state of the game. Was picking Astra ever an option going into this match?

L1NK: Not going into this match. We haven’t played it. If I’m honest, we just seem to think that Brimstone plays better with how we want to play. Like the after-plants. They’ve substituted Brimstone for the Astra. Used the Sova darts instead of the Brimstone molly. They’ve done something that works around that. We were never going to be able to bring it into this match. Maybe after a while or in the next tournament after this one, though.

Run It Back: Things came down to the wire in the first two maps, but Haven ended up being a completely different story. What do you think is the reason map three went the way it did?

L1NK: They got the momentum pretty much instantly. We got the pistol and then lost the second round. It isn’t devastating, but it’s not optimal. They won that round, won the round after, and won the first gun round. It just sort of spiraled out of control. That’s how that happened. I don’t think we were ready for them to play so after-plant heavy. We got caught off guard by it. They took that and just rolled with it.

Run It Back: Team Liquid now has to fight through the Lower Bracket, with only one loss left on the table before elimination. How is the team going to bounce back?

L1NK: Just like every other. We are going to come back stronger. We’d hope so. We’ve done it every other time we’ve lost. We lose a game, we come back and win. It is just going to be the same old.

*Answers may have been edited or altered for clarity and fluidity.*

Run It Back would like to thank L1NK for his time and wishes Team Liquid the best of luck going forward in Masters Reykjavik.

Stayed tune to Run It Back for more Masters Reykjavik coverage, including day-by-day recaps and player interviews!