Team Secret was unable to take advantage of a second opportunity to clinch a spot in the lower bracket final after suffering a sad loss to Paper Rex in the upper bracket final.

The Filipino contenders were defeated 2 to 1 by the Thai team XERXIA Esports.

The Thai squad entered this match with a grudge after Team Secret upset them in their previous encounter with a “come from behind” victory that knocked them into the lower bracket.

Team Secret’s responses are rejected by XERXIA.

XIA tried to make amends in Game 2 after being defeated by an awful score of 13 to 3 in Game 1.

Thanachart “Surf” Rungapajaratkul surprised the Filipino team by obtaining his Operator early in the game.

XIA gained momentum thanks to his Round 5 performance, as he defeated Riley “witz” Go and Jeremy “Jremy” Cabrera.

With his positional play, he would keep Secret at bay. Surf would move around the battlefield after scoring an instant kill, nailing flawless setups as his teammates gave him the vital information.

With a 12 to 7 advantage, it appeared as though XIA would finally defeat Team Secret in Game 2, but Secret gradually came back.

After his instructor Jessie Cristy “JessieVash” Cuyco set up the play in round 20, Jremy was able to snag a crucial double kill. Then, in the subsequent round, Jayvee “DubsteP” Paguirigan would go for the backstab play to help Secret recover from a difficult beginning.

Additionally, in the tunnel, he completed a critical triple kill that forced a 12 to 10 result.

After Secret’s comeback attempt failed 13 to 10, Surf then appeared as his Jett unleashed his ult.

The climactic Game 3 duel in Icebox followed a similar plot, with Team Secret attempting valiantly to retaliate as Surf expertly connected with his Operator shots.

The clutch plays from XIA ultimately proved too much for Secret to handle. The spike was neutralized by Natchaphon “sScary” Matarat in the midst of a flawless setup by Jim “BORKUM” Timbreza’s Viper’s Pit. Thanamethk “Crws” Mahatthananuyut then refuted Secret’s plant spike while Surf turned on the other members.

Surf added the finishing touches as well, with his trademark Operator kills that took center stage in the final round to give XERXIA a 13 to 8 victory and the opportunity to represent Thailand in the upcoming VCT Masters in Copenhagen.