(UPDATED) Lone Asia-Pacific representative Team SMG moves one step closer in its campaign in the 2023 Valorant Game Changers Championship after sweeping Evil Geniuses in their debut match, 2-0.

The Southeast Asian squad dominated the North American No. 1 seed in Lotus at 13-3 and in Haven at 13-7.

Filipino player Alexy "Alexy" Francisco led the team in overall stats with 39 kills, 19 deaths, and 11 assists.

In map 1, Lotus, Team SMG debuted with a quadruple duelist composition which drew surprised reactions from the analysts, casters, and audiences.

This is going to be EXPLOSIVE 👀 #VCTGameChangers pic.twitter.com/TzI4l0xfbf

— VALORANT Champions Tour (@ValorantEsports) November 28, 2023

Odella "enerii" Abraham admitted during a post-game interview that the composition was an honest mistake, as they thought that it was still a rehearsal.

La pression de la LAN, c'est RÉEL 😳 @eneriiiiiii a avoué que la composition 4 duellistes sur Lotus, c'était UNE ERREUR 😶‍🌫️

La duelliste de l'équipe @TeamSMGofficial s'est donc retrouvée sur Cypher 🫢 pic.twitter.com/JWjMzF2d3g

— VALORANT Challengers France : Révolution (@valleague_fr) November 28, 2023

Despite the mistake, Team SMG still dominated the map, making a 6-0 run at the start of the first half before EG scored its first point.

EG would make two more points while trading rounds with Team SMG, ending the first half at 9-3.

The second half was a one-sided affair with Team SMG taking four rounds and eventually winning the map.

Team SMG's duelist enerri, playing the sole non-duelist in their composition, Cypher, topped the leaderboard in the map with 21 kills, 6 deaths, and 7 assists.

In map 2, Haven, it was nearly a repeat of the previous map with the APAC representative taking 5 straight rounds against EG in the latter's own map pick.

EG eventually caught up with Team SMG by winning 5 straight rounds, tying the score for the first time.

Filipino-American Lorrian "Lorri" Elad was instrumental for EG, with a clutch play in the 9th round.

CLUTCH shots from @lorrian_! #VCTGameChangers pic.twitter.com/ltDup6fAPg

— VALORANT Champions Tour (@ValorantEsports) November 28, 2023

The streak was short-lived as Team SMG ended the first half at 7-5, with two rounds in their favor.

EG would take the pistol and eco round at the start of the second half, but Team SMG eventually make a 6-round streak, including a clutch play by Filipina Kelly "shirazi" Jaudian on the controller agent Astra, to complete the sweep.

1v2 CLUTCH to get to series point! @shirazigo #VCTGameChangers pic.twitter.com/5IuxmyeHkh

— VALORANT Champions Tour (@ValorantEsports) November 28, 2023

Alexy, Team SMG's initiator, topped the map's leaderboard with 20 kills, 12 deaths, 6 assists, culminating as the overall stats leader of the series.

Team SMG continues the winning streak that it had built since the start of the year, now at 35-0.

• Valorant: Pinoy-loaded Team SMG begins Game Changers Championship campaign

They will face defending champion G2 Gozen in the upper bracket semi-finals on November 30 (Manila time) at 7 a.m.

• Valorant: Team SMG sweeps RRQ for Game Changers Global Championship slot