Azure Ray win the Chinese Qualifier for DreamLeague S23

The Chinese Qualifier for DreamLeague S23 featured eight teams. These teams had to compete for a single qualification spot.

The expectation was that LGD Gaming, G2.iG, and Azure Ray would be the three teams whose direct battles would decide the winner. But multiple upsets occurred and Azure Ray ended up playing against Team Zero in the Grand Final. What’s even more shocking is that they nearly lost. The final score was 3 – 2.

Tournament results

【Dream League S23 China CQ】

AR vs Team Zero (BO5)

Game 5: AR 3-2 TZ pic.twitter.com/7peAZoG762

— Azure Ray (@AzureRayDota) March 24, 2024

The Chinese Qualifier for DreamLeague S23 started with an upset in the first round of the upper bracket. LGD Gaming, who were expected to win against old eLeVeN’s team, KEV, ended up losing 1 – 2 despite winning game 1.

The other two favorites, Azure Ray and G2.iG, won their respective matches without too many problems. In the next round, G2.iG encountered Team Zero and were defeated in two long games. The first one lasted 46 minutes and the second one lasted 67 minutes.

Team Zero’s highly accomplished player, Erika, did a fantastic job and proved that his 5^th – 6^th place finish at The International 10 was not an accident. Azure Ray won their upper bracket semifinal after KEV forfeited.

In the lower bracket, LGD Gaming survived the first round but encountered G2.iG in the second round and lost. This team, carried by Monet and featuring strong players like NothingToSay, xNova, and BoBoKa, would go on to beat Dark Horse as well. But in the lower bracket Final, they encountered Team Zero, who lost the upper bracket Final against Azure Ray (1 – 2).

Monet and his squad lost 1 – 2 against the same opponent that sent them to the lower bracket. This result created the chance for a rematch between Azure Ray and Team Zero.

In the Grand Final, the two teams proved to be very close to each other in strength. Azure Ray eventually won in game 5 thanks to their superior experience. Team Zero were very persistent throughout the match, picking Kunka repeatedly despite failing to win with him. They finally did on their 3^rd try. This happened in game 4.

Other heroes that were picked by them multiple times were Lion, Luna, and Alchemist. Azure had different preferences. They prioritized heroes like Timbersaw and Shadow Shaman. In each game, they picked a different carry, which is a testament to their versatility.

Header: ESL, Azure Ray