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Win.gg Dota 2 Na’Vi vs. Alliance, EG vs. Nigma set for DreamLeague Season 13

Na'Vi vs. Alliance, EG vs. Nigma set for DreamLeague Season 13

Steven Rondina
Steven Rondina Published 20/01/2020
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The group stage at the DreamLeague Season 13 major is now complete and with that, the brackets have been set for the playoffs. The opening eight matchups for the event have been revealed and fans have some exciting matchups to look forward to in the early goings of the tournament.

Old rivalries are set to have new life breathed into them while regional matchups can be found up and down the card. There’s a lot for Dota 2 fans to look forward to, but here are the highlights.

Nigma vs. EG kicks off DreamLeague Season 13 playoffs

The upper bracket has four series penned in which will be contested in best-of-three fashion. Each one has a compelling story behind it.

The playoffs will start with an intriguing showdown between Evil Geniuses and Nigma. Nigma entered the event hot off a win in the WePlay! Bukovel Minor and continued that run with a 2-0 run in the group stage. They have a tough first draw in Evil Geniuses, though Nigma remains a narrow betting favorite.

The second upper bracket matchup is a Chinese regional affair with Invictus Gaming taking on Vici Gaming. Vici Gaming entered as one of the favorites to win DreamLeague Season 13 and have looked up to the task thus far. That’s bad news for Invictus Gaming, but iG they looked formidable enough in the group stage that they must be taken seriously.

Fnatic will be also be looking to upset one of the tournament favorites as they take on Team Secret. Secret finally made its proper season debut in the group stage and looked strong along the way, which is bad news for the SEA team.

Finally, Natus Vincere and Alliance will close out the first round of the upper bracket. The two organizations have a long history together and while they are very different teams now than they were back in 2013, they still always seem to find their way back to one another. Natus Vincere enters as the favorite thanks to their strong group stage showing but they’re far from bulletproof here.

TNC Predator, Team Liquid looking to stay alive in lower bracket

The lower bracket will start with four best-of-one series, making each game a do-or-die affair. The opening matchups include:

Reality Rift vs. TNC Predator and beastcoast vs. Pain Gaming are both tight matchups. TNC and beastcoast stand as the top teams in Southeast Asia and South America respectively, and are looking to retain those spots at the expense of their regional rivals. While a best-of-three setting would likely see them as clear favorites, the best-of-one format gives them little margin for error.

Team Aster vs. Chaos Esports Club is one of the more competitive matchups in either bracket. Both have talented lineups on paper but are looking to establish themselves as a top team. Only one will be able to avoid a last-place finish here.

Finally, Team Liquid finds itself in a tough spot. Though the team placed top-six at the MDL Chengdu Major, it’s swimming upstream to stay alive at DreamLeague Season 13. Liquid’s journey starts with a tough match against Virtus.pro.

Steven Rondina Steven Rondina
About Steven Rondina

Steven Rondina is a true lifelong gamer. His earliest memories are of playing video games, and he has continued playing them throughout his life with no plans to stop any time soon. Steven’s favorite franchises in gaming include Pokemon, Dark Souls, and Counter-Strike. He has previously published with Bleacher Report and other gaming outlets.

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