XTQZZZ: No excuse after Vitality loss to B8

Vitality moved to the lower bracket at the Esports World Cup 2026 in Paris on Aug. 16, 2026, after a 2-1 defeat to B8. The result followed an earlier upset by Liquid in the Round of 32 at BLAST Bounty and leaves Vitality facing immediate elimination in their next match.

The best-of-three saw Vitality win the opening map in overtime, drop the second map and then lose decisively on Dust2 despite taking the early pistol round. Coach Rémy “XTQZZZ” Quoniam identified repeated first-entry losses, late-round decision errors and a lack of mental sharpness as the factors that undone the team’s tactical work.

XTQZZZ: “I can see so many rounds we hesitate to make a decision, not even the right decision, but to play with more courage. I don’t know why, because we have no excuse. I think we had really good preparation. But mentally we are not there.” He added that the squad had practiced well and must address the problem quickly.

On roster moves, Quoniam confirmed Justinas “jL” Lekavicius will stand in for two upcoming events, BLAST Open Porto and PGL Masters Bucharest. The coach said the staff considered promoting from the academy but judged academy players not ready after reviewing Major performances. “We had two, three options, and he was the best,” he noted. When asked who will take on in-game leadership while long-time caller apEX steps back, Quoniam smiled and replied, “We will see.”

Vitality face Lynn Vision next in a lower-bracket match that will decide whether they remain in the tournament. Quoniam called for direct discussion within the squad and emphasized the need for a stronger mental response: “First, think about what happened today, have a big talk and finally show what we are capable of. I believe in our preparation. Now it’s mentality-wise and how we want to react as a team and prove we can still compete.”