G2 Esports defeat TYLOO 2-0 in VALORANT Champions 2026 group stage opener

G2 Esports wasted no time announcing themselves at VALORANT Champions 2026, dispatching Chinese organization TYLOO in a clean 2-0 sweep on Thursday in Shanghai. The win sends G2 straight to the winners' side of Group C after just two maps — the kind of start every team at an international event wants.

The Setup: A Hostile Crowd, A Favorable Draw

The match was the second of the day at Champions Shanghai, played in front of a home crowd that had every reason to believe TYLOO could deliver an upset. On paper, though, this looked like a mismatch: G2 sat ahead of TYLOO in the power rankings heading into the event, and the Chinese side walked in as the underdog despite playing in front of their home fans.

For G2, Champions 2026 carries extra weight. Champions is VALORANT's biggest event of the year, and Group C's opening results shape the entire bracket run — an opening win means a smoother path, while a loss drops a team into the lower half of the group almost immediately.

What Happened: Two Maps, No Drama

G2's roster of jawgemo, BABYBAY, trent, valyn, leaf, and splash needed only two maps to close out the series. The sweep silenced the Shanghai crowd, which had hoped to see the hometown organization pull off a victory over a team ranked above them.

The win puts G2 on the winners' side of Group C and keeps their Champions run fully in their own hands.

Earlier in the Day: Paper Rex Set the Tone

Before G2 took the stage, Paper Rex opened the day with a win over a struggling Team Liquid. That result — combined with G2's sweep — set the tone for a Group C day where the favored sides delivered.

What's Next

With the TYLOO match behind them, G2 moves to the winners' side of Group C and will await their next opponent in the bracket. TYLOO, meanwhile, drops to the lower side of the group with their Champions hopes suddenly on shakier ground — a tough position for the home crowd favorites after a single series.

The group stage continues in Shanghai as the remaining Group C fixtures determine who advances.

Source: the original publisher