PSG.LGD Is The Winner of OGA Dota PIT Invitational

OGA Dota PIT Invitational is finally over and its winner is none other than the number 1 favorite: PSG.LGD. The Chinese team proved once again why it is considered to be one of the strongest competitors ahead of The International 10. This is the story of how they claimed the title of the penultimate Dota 2 tournament of the season.

OGA Dota PIT Invitational Results

Unlike most esports events, OGA Dota PIT Invitational did not have a Group Stage. The 8 competitors began the race in what should have been the Playoffs. The competitive format was double-elimination. Every match was Bo3, apart from the Grand Final.

Upper Bracket Round 1

PSG.LGD had to play its first match against the third-best team in North America, Undying. And to many people’s surprise, game 1 was a humiliating defeat. At the time it looked as though Ame and his crew hadn’t prepared for the event. But as we learned throughout the tournament, PSG.LGD is simply weak in the first game of almost every match and can be easily caught off-guard. The draft was a risky one, with Outworld Devourer, Legion Commander, and Clinkz. Dubu picked something that was much easier to play: Tidehunter, Bane, Mirana, Troll Warlord, and Storm Spirit. As soon as Storm and Troll got their key items, the game was practically over.

In the second and third games of the match, PSG.LGD returned to their standard heroes but had a very rough time against Undying. Nevertheless, they won the match thanks to the superior competence of their captain. A couple of good calls in key situations was all it took to make the difference. Once again, Vengeful Spirit, Sven, IO, Clinkz, Leshrac, and the other strong heroes of this meta proved to be highly effective when played properly.

Upper Bracket Round 2

For the third time in the last 3 months, PSG.LGD had to play against T1 in the Upper Bracket of an important tournament. And the result was the same as it was the first two times: 2 – 1. The Chinese team lost game 1 after it tried a completely unorthodox draft: Tinker, Necrophos, Monkey King, Silencer, and Spirit Breaker. T1 went for comfort heroes: Sven, Leshrac, Shadow Demon, etc.

But, just as before, PSG.LGD bounced back and won the next two games by outplaying their opponent. Both teams had great drafts and seemed to have equal chances of winning. But y` proved to be a formidable captain.

Upper Bracket Round 3

PSG.LGD’s third match at OGA Dota PIT Invitational was played against Tundra. The two teams had met in the Grand Final of ESL One Fall 2021. PSG.LGD lost that match with a score of 2 – 3. This time, however, they won with ease. Game 1 took 28 minutes while game 2 took 22. Both times, fast tempo heroes like Bloodseeker, Venomancer, Lycan, and Beastmaster made the difference.

Grand Final

The Grand Final of OGA Dota PIT Invitational took place between PSG.LGD and a dark horse name Team Spirit. The CIS squad, who will participate at The International 10 thanks to its victory in the regional qualifier, somehow managed to win 4 consecutive matches after losing against T1 in the Upper Bracket. Its rivals were Undying, Fnatic, T1, and Tundra. Against the last 3 of these teams, Miposhka’s team won without losing a single game.

With this impressive win streak, Spirit entered the Grand Final. However, almost nobody believed in its chances of causing an upset. Not even after game 1, won by Spirit in a decisive manner, people did not regard them as a serious opponent for the Chinese juggernaut. Instead of increasing, its odds for game 2 decreased on every esports betting site.

Games 2, 3, and 4 were an absolute masterclass. PSG.LGD picked Pangolier every single time and won with its usual drafts. Nothing special, just pure outplays. Spirit had absolutely no chance of holding the line. In each of the 3 games, the battle looked over at the 15-minute mark.

Because of what we saw at OGA Dota PIT Invitational, one more balance patch is likely to be released ahead of The International 10. No doubt, the heroes that got spammed, such as Bloodseeker, Sven, Pangolier, Vengeful Spirit, and Bane will receive small nerfs to combat the abuses.

 

Photo credit: Valve