Riyadh Masters group stage predictions

Riyadh Masters has entered the group stage and after the first day, we can say with a bit more confidence who the favorites are.

Both groups are proving to be quite tough, but not for everyone. Some of the teams started with two victories. Several more got one victory and one draw on day 1. For many teams, This day ended with two points or fewer, which basically means that they drew twice or even once.

The only competitor that lost both matches was Team Secret. And the only one that won both matches was BetBoom Team.

Group A predictions

sheeeeesh #RiyadhMasters #Gamers8 pic.twitter.com/dYGLC7Toke

— GG | Gaimin Gladiators ⚔️ (@GaiminGladiator) July 21, 2023

Based on what we’ve seen on day 1, the favorites in this group are PSG.LGD, Gaimin Gladiators, and Quest Esports. Xtreme Gaming are also quite strong, but they drew against OG, which suggests that they’re probably not as strong as the other top competitors.

Team Spirit drew twice and made a good impression because the opponents they faced were Gaimin Gladiators and Evil Geniuses. In EG’s case, one might be tempted to think that they’re a weak team because of what happened at the Bali Major, where they finished 17^th-18^th. But a lot has changed since then.

Right now, EG seem to be considerably stronger than before and have already defeated 9Pandas at Riyadh Masters. They also drew against Team Spirit. Thanks to these results, EG are now ranked 1^st in group A. It’s unlikely that they’ll remain there, but they might finish the group in the top 4.

The weakest team in this group seems to be OG. However, it’s not entirely clear that they will get eliminated early. Six of the eight competitors will advance to the playoffs, which means that OG will likely need just 5 or 6 points to avoid elimination.

Group B predictions

Finishing the day with a score of 4-0 ❤️💛 pic.twitter.com/ASwFq22qUt

— BetBoom Team (@BetBoomTeam) July 21, 2023

In group B, BetBoom is currently the leader with two victories. They’ve been so dominant so far that it’s hard not to regard them as the biggest favorites.

This group is full of strong teams, so it’s hard to tell who will secure an upper bracket spot for the playoffs. The favorites seem to be BetBoom, Aster, Liquid, and either Tundra or Talon.

Team Secret has no chances of qualifying based on what we saw on day 1. Shopify Rebellion and TSM are also a bit weak compared to the other competitors. But perhaps they can avoid a poor result.

Header: Saudi Esports Federation