Team Nigma stomped in Singapore Major, kicked with T1, Gambit

Steven Rondina Published 28/03/2021

The wildcard stage of the ONE Esports Singapore Major has wrapped and three teams are heading home.

Team Nigma, T1, and AS Monaco Gambit are all heading home empty-handed. The three teams are set to receive zero dollars for their efforts and no Dota Pro Circuit points.

Team Nigma’s immediate elimination was the shock of the wildcard stage. But the team was at a serious disadvantage due to Ivan Borislavov “MinD_ContRoL” Ivanov’s inability to travel after a positive test.

Catch up on Singapore Major news

.@AfterLifeDota2 was obviously taking dance classes before arriving in Singapore ????#SingaporeMajor @GambitEsports pic.twitter.com/lZ4GrdBr2W
— ONE Esports (@ONEEsports) March 27, 2021

Even though that put Nigma at a disadvantage, it seemed as though the team would remain competitive. Instead, Nigma was quickly mathematically eliminated from the event with 2-0 sweeps at the hands of Team Liquid, PSG.LGD, and AS Monaco Gambit on the first day of the event. Nigma ultimately won only one map during the event, and finished in last place with a 1-9 map record.

T1 was in essentially the same boat. The team made a controversial roster move in hopes of improving its chances at the event, but that didn’t pay off in the slightest. T1 opened the event by getting swept by AS Monaco Gambit, Team Liquid, and Vici Gaming. The team got a measure of redemption by sweeping Nigma, but still got an early ticket home with a 2-8 record.

Outside T1 and Nigma, things were highly competitive between the other four wildcard stage teams. AS Monaco Gambit got off to a strong start with sweep wins over T1 and Nigma, but a loss to Vici Gaming undermined its positioning. Another loss to PSG.LGD forced Gambit into a best-of-one tiebreaker with Team Liquid, which broke against the CIS squad.

GGWP @TeamLiquid

It’s a shame to leave the major on that note… Anyway, thanks to everyone who cheered for us and sacrificed sleep for our games ❤????

See you in April ✊????#ASMGMB #GambitDota2 #SingaporeMajor pic.twitter.com/v6XWpLMoH7
— Gambit Esports (@GambitEsports) March 28, 2021

PSG.LGD, Vici Gaming, and Team Liquid advance in Singapore Major

While Nigma, AS Monaco Gambit, and T1 are heading home, three other teams are advancing and look to be competitive moving forward. Team Liquid, Vici Gaming, and PSG.LGD are all moving forward and look to be competitive against the second-place teams from the regional leagues.

They join the likes of Quincy Crew, Team Aster, and Alliance in the next round. The eight group stage teams will compete in a round robin format. The top three teams will advance to the upper bracket, the next four will start in the lower bracket, and the last-place team is eliminated.

When is the Singapore Major final?

The ONE Esports Singapore Major finals are set to take place on April 4 at 2 a.m. ET. The winner will receive $200,000 and 500 DPC qualifying points, effectively guaranteeing their spot in The International 10.

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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