https://www.facebook.com/pg/dota2/photos/?tab=album&album_id=297893156942815 Courtesy Dota 2 facebook page.
Some great games this morning but nothing super shocking. Let’s see how the standings break down.
| Team | Series Score | Game Score | Points |
| LGD Gaming | 4 – 1 – 1 | 9 – 3 | 9 |
| Team Liquid | 3 – 2 – 0 | 8 – 2 | 8 |
| Evil Geniuses | 1 – 4 – 0 | 6 – 4 | 6 |
| TNC Pro Team | 1 – 4 – 0 | 6 – 4 | 6 |
| iG Vitality | 1 – 2 – 1 | 5 – 5 | 5 |
| Team Empire | 1 – 4 – 1 | 5 – 7 | 5 |
| Team Secret | 0 – 5 – 1 | 5 – 7 | 5 |
| Infamous | 0 – 3 – 2 | 3 – 7 | 3 |
| Fnatic | 0 – 1 – 4 | 1 – 9 | 1 |
Quick note here, I don’t think the points matter anymore. Honestly I’m not certain about that but the wins & losses still matter; also formatting is annoying. On to each series!
Evil Geniuses vs Team Secret
Both games were fantastic to watch. Game one was a great win for Evil Geniuses, they weathered the storm from Team Secrets early to mid game centered lineup and took the win in the late game. Suma1l’s Earthshaker continues to be a delight to watch. Game two saw both teams draft a little strangely. Team Secret looked really good in the early stages of the game but they stumbled and almost let EG back into the game. YapzOr’s Rubick was a thing of beauty and Rubick is clearly a must-ban against Team Secret going forward.
TNC Pro Team vs iG Vitality
Picking Troll Warlord into Sven does not work for every team. TNC got a great win in game one, it’s a shame they couldn’t close out the sweep. I find it slightly odd when a team picks a completely new lineup after a win and the losing team doesn’t ban out what worked. First pick silencer did not work out at for TNC. iG Vitality continue to be a baffling team to watch. I’m certain they’re headed to the lower bracket but they could surprise any team that underestimates them. They could also get knocked out in the first round, only time will tell.
Fnatic vs Team Empire
I refuse to discuss Fnatic. I’m happy to see Empire repeat their picks after a win, no need to reveal more information to potential opponents. Empire really needed these wins to stay relevant in this group. Empire can now reach to make the upper bracket and avoid the pressure of the lower bracket, they could pick up two additional wins against iG Vitality later today.
LGD Gaming vs Infamous
LGD look to be back on track and with these wins they can compete for the top seed again. It’s important that LGD didn’t just win, they stomped Infamous with two wins in less than 30 minutes each. This was a fine way to prepare for Evil Geniuses later, that should be a great match. Infamous are still alive in this group thanks to the last place team who-shall-not-be-named.
Group A action continues with Team Secret vs Fnatic, Team Liquid vs TNC Pro Team vs iG Vitality and Evil Geniuses vs Infamous.
