Nova Esports recover from map 1 loss to beat Any Questions Gaming 2-1

Esports News UK, Senior Editor

Last Updated: 23/10/2026

VCT Threshold China 2026 · Week 1 · 22 Oct 2026 Nova Esports2 – 1Any Questions Gaming Bo3 · 1: AQ · 2: NOVA · 3: NOVA

Nova Esports beat Any Questions Gaming 2-1 on Thursday 22 October in Quarterfinal 4 of VCT Threshold China 2026, coming from a map down in the Week 1 best of 3. The win sets up a meeting with KeepBest Gaming on Saturday 24 October.

Any Questions Gaming take a 51-minute opener

The opening map was the longest of the series. Any Questions Gaming edged it after 51 minutes and carried real form into the match. They had already beaten World Sports Invictus Gaming 2-0 in Round 1 here, and before that swept Unsettled Resentment 3-0 in China Evolution Series Act 3 2026.

That Act 3 run also included 2-0 wins over JD Gaming and Dragon Ranger Gaming. Their only defeat in that stretch was a 1-2 loss to FunPlus Phoenix. It made them a dangerous opponent for a Nova side arriving on the back of a 0-2 defeat to the same FunPlus Phoenix.

Nova close out in 38 and 40 minutes

Nova responded quickly. Map 2 went their way in 38 minutes to level the series. The decider followed the same pattern, with Nova taking it in 40 minutes.

Both of Nova’s wins came in noticeably less time than the opener. After a lengthy start, the CN-based org settled the rest of the series without another marathon.

The result fits the Elo power rankings. Nova sit 117th with a rating of 1566 and a 45-42 record across 87 rated matches. Any Questions Gaming are 147th on 1533, with a 9-9 record from 18 rated matches. Experience told in the end.

KeepBest Gaming wait after sweeping Wolves

Nova’s recent form has swung back and forth. Before the FunPlus Phoenix loss they beat EDward Gaming 2-1 in Act 3, and in VCT China Stage 2 2026 they lost 0-2 to TYLOO after beating XLG Gaming 2-1 and TEC Esports 2-0.

Next up is KeepBest Gaming, who won Quarterfinal 3 by sweeping Wolves Esports 2-0. Wolves had opened the event with a 2-0 win over A Team in Round 1, so KeepBest arrive having handled a team already in rhythm.

Elsewhere in the opening round, Dragon Ranger Gaming beat Rare Atom 2-0 and Unsettled Resentment swept Octagonal Disposition Gaming 2-0. The event runs until 1 November.

Read also: Unsettled Resentment beat Octagonal Disposition Gaming 2-0 in VCT Threshold China

Upcoming Valorant matches

Match centreProject Blender Phase 2 2026Today 09:00 · Bo3CGN Esports01.49Natus Vincere02.41VCT Threshold China 2026Today 10:00 · Bo3TEC Esports01.6Unsettled Resentment02.44VCT Threshold China 2026Today 12:00 · Bo3FunPlus Phoenix03.61Dragon Ranger Gaming01.84

Esports News UK, Senior Editor

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• Any Questions Gaming
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• VCT Threshold China 2026