S8UL complete comeback from 2-1 down to win VCL South Asia Split 1 in five-map thriller
The best-of-five grand final swung both ways before S8UL found their footing on the last two maps. They opened with a convincing 13-8 win on Split, only for Revenant XSpark to hit back hard with a 13-4 rout on Breeze and a 13-7 win on Haven that put them one map from the title.
Pearl and Abyss turn the tide
Facing elimination, S8UL adjusted their approach on Pearl and won it 13-8 to force a decider. On Abyss the momentum was entirely theirs. They controlled the map from the pistol round onward and never let Revenant XSpark settle, running away with it 13-4 to clinch the series.
S8UL had looked strong throughout the split. They finished in the top four of the league phase and swept group winners Asterisk 2-0 in the semifinals on April 8. Revenant XSpark matched that form by beating Gods Reign 2-0 on the same day, but they could not sustain it across all five maps of the final.
Prize pool and what comes next
S8UL collected nine lakh rupees from the tournament's prize pool, while runners-up Revenant XSpark earned four and a half lakh. The four playoff teams, which also included Gods Reign and Asterisk, now look ahead to Split 2 later in the year as the pathway to international competition continues to develop for South Asian Valorant.
For Revenant XSpark, letting a 2-1 lead slip will sting, but they showed enough quality across the split to suggest they will be in the conversation again. S8UL, meanwhile, head into the off-season as the region's top team.
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