PSG.LGD becomes TI10 favorite by stomping EG in AniMajor finals
Update: Here’s the full list of teams to receive an invitation to The International 10
Evil Geniuses’ third-place curse is long dead at this point but the second-place curse is proving to be just as strong.
The North American squad has lost its third major in a row. Chinese favorites PSG.LGD absolutely dominated the grand finals of the WePlay AniMajor, taking a 3-0 victory over Evil Geniuses.
PSG LGD are the Grand Champions of The Animajor. Congratulations. Impressive performance. #Animajor #DPC #Dota2 pic.twitter.com/JbLUhgxLiq
— Wykrhm Reddy (@wykrhm) June 13, 2021
The event was an ugly ending to an otherwise very strong run in the tournament for Evil Geniuses, but a crowning moment for PSG.LGD.
The first game was an absolute stomp. PSG.LGD got off to an early lead, taking first blood and winning the first big teamfight of the game. Tight teamwork and strong coordination prevented Evil Geniuses from even slowing PSG.LGD down, with the Chinese side building up its lead steadily. The game ended in 33 minutes, with the kill tally standing 30-6 in PSG.LGD’s favor.
Evil Geniuses looked ready to fire back and even the series in game two. Abed “Abed” Azel L. Yusop returned to his signature Storm Spirit and looked absolutely excellent, zapping around and finding pickoffs seemingly at will as Artour “Arteezy” Babaev played as Nature’s Prophet and pressured every lane. The trouble was that both men invested in Aeon Disks instead of damage items, something that prevented them from cracking high ground.
“But what did it cost?”
— WePlay Esports @ AniMajor (@WePlay_Esports) June 13, 2021
“Everything.”
After stealing the Aegis, @EvilGeniuses loses the fight against @PSGeSports and it costs them the game! ????
Now, PSG.LGD leads the series 2-0. Will they be able to close it out on the next map? ????????#WePlayAniMajor #AniMajor pic.twitter.com/9vwyV7aWW9
That inability to break tier-three towers turned Wang “Ame” Chunyu into a ticking timebomb on Terrorblade, as he stood as the greatest late-game threat by a significant margin. Evil Geniuses wasn’t able to seriously balloon its net worth lead and couldn’t deal with Ame’s Terrorblade as time went on, leading PSG.LGD to a comeback lead.
The third game started wildly, with PSG.LGD getting early pickoffs while Evil Geniuses got the better of some skirmishes. But once PSG.LGD got some of its items built, the team took complete control.
A four-for-nobody trade drained any positivity left in Evil Geniuses, which was followed by a series of team fights around the Roshan pit that EG lost. PSG.LGD’s net worth lead exploded from there, which prompted a push for high ground. Evil Geniuses just couldn’t offer any serious defense, with PSG.LGD forcing a GG call not long after.
GG’s @EvilGeniuses! From the start right through to the end they have been amazing! From giving us many memes to insane Dota games they have truly shown why they are one of the best teams.
— WePlay Esports @ AniMajor (@WePlay_Esports) June 13, 2021
We’ve loved having you here in Kyiv and wish you all the best at TI! ????#WePlayAniMajor pic.twitter.com/32wWeHl5Cs
PSG.LGD cements itself as TI10 favorite
PSG.LGD’s victory in the WePlay AniMajor caps a shockingly dominant run in the event for the team. The team went 11-3 in the group stage without dropping a series. From there, PSG.LGD had no trouble in the playoffs, making its way through the upper bracket with wins over Alliance, Team Nigma, and T1.
The fact that PSG.LGD scored such a swift victory over Evil Geniuses only adds to that.
LGD too strong. GG’s and grats @LGDgaming
— Tal Aizik (@talflyaizik) June 13, 2021
Almost made the lower bracket dream, happy with how we were able to make it this far
While fans will inevitably joke about Evil Geniuses losing in the finals of another major, the team looked brilliant throughout the event by surviving to the finals with a lower bracket start. Evil Geniuses was in very strong form for this tournament, which makes PSG.LGD’s performance that much more impressive.
Because of PSG.LGD’s dominance in the AniMajor, the team will almost certainly enter The International 2021 as the favorites to win. It’s impossible to argue against that either, as PSG.LGD just looks untouchably good right now.
When is The International 2021?
The International 2021 will begin on August 5 and run through August 15. Meanwhile, the qualifiers will begin on June 23 with the South America and CIS regions. North America and Southeast Asia begin on June 30, while China and Europe start on July 7.
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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