VALORANT EWC 2025: Match Analysis of Sentinels vs PRX in Valorant

15 seconds. That's all it took for PRX to wrap up the first round against Sentinels in the Esports World Cup. Setting the tone for the rest of the match — a let down. Sentinels got eliminated, and it was brutal. A far cry from their previous high-stakes match in the VCT Masters Toronto, where PRX shut down Sentinels' reign. This time? Child’s play.

In EWC, it was clear that Sentinels couldn’t hold onto PRX’s pace, leading fans to call Sentinels overhyped, overrated — you get the drill. And it makes sense, after all, losing 13:3 and 13:9 is unacceptable. But… Why did this happen? Was there an actual reason why Sentinels couldn’t perform, or was it just a skill issue? Let’s get into it

PRX’s Tempo Against Sentinels

When you think of W-gaming, you think of PRX. And while that is memed upon, it’s dangerous in pro-play because for IGLs like Johnqt, it’s unpredictable. T1 pros are built differently; you can’t repeat the same strategy twice because they’re able to quickly connect the dots, counteract, or play off of it. What seems like luck is usually 80% skill instead. PRX also doesn’t have an IGL, meaning they play mostly off communication and trust, and if you give such a team an inch, they’ll take a mile.

Which was seen in micro plays, like Narrate not swinging out of the smoke by thinking the defuse was a fake in round 2. Sure, nerves may be the reason, but with only a pistol in hand, it would have been unlikely for PRX to hold instead of defusing. While these misplays are common, these minute-level decisions spoon-fed PRX into winning 13:3.

After all, PRX was swinging through their utility and claiming heads. Sen then failed to capitalize on Something’s missed Op shot, leading to Zekken dying instead. Take a look at the first round Sentinels won and the map control PRX had. With Sova (Forsaken) killing off Johnqt in the tube, Sentinels would not have won if Narrate didn't pull out a hero play.

When Sentinels finally shut down PRX in round 8, they did so by doubling up and taking down Patman in Tube, leading PRX to push and get picked off instead. They lost that map due to PRX’s momentum. It wasn’t a comp diff as both teams had the same agents; it was simply a lack of team unity, decision-making skills, and confidence, alongside passiveness. 

How Map 1 Mistakes Carried Over For Sen

While Sen put up a closer fight in map 2 - Sunset, going 13-9, it eventually led to their loss. The main cause? Sen just wasn’t ready. PRX kept pushing through smokes and claiming kills instead of covering and adapting, and Sen kept falling for it. Despite Sen’s comp ( Omen, Cypher, Neon, Breach, and Fade) being more meta and defensive, they were still unable to fend off PRX. 

In a nutshell, Sen just couldn’t keep up due to the difference in play styles. Sen does better against methodical teams like DRX, and PRX just doesn’t fit the bill. So, the loss is partly due to getting diffed and their playing styles, including their map bans.

Written By Sarah Dar