Decisive Matches Wrap Up Nail-Biting DOTA 2 China Professional League Group Stage
The DOTA 2 China Professional League continues unabated with the final week of the group stage starting today.
During this phase of the competition 10 teams play in best-of-three round-robin matches, hoping to finish insights top four. These will advance directly to the upper bracket of the playoffs, while the next two teams will compete in the lower bracket. The bottom four teams are eliminated while those who advance to the playoffs will compete for a share of the ¥1.5 million prize pool.
Invictus Gaming Chase Top 4 Placement on Monday
Invictus Gaming are currently sitting in the 7th place, which is not eligible for a playoff berth. They need at least three victories to advance to the playoffs, but will aim for a sweep that would allow them to secure the fourth place. The only match scheduled for Monday is a mere formality against Typhoon E-Sports Club, who are already eliminated and will finish in the last place.
After winning the opening match warm-up that should bring them to a positive record, they play the most important game of Tuesday. Rivalry regards them as clear favourites against Keen Gaming with odds of 9/20, as opposed to 8/5 for the underdogs. Keen Gaming are currently in the fourth place and a victory here will virtually guarantee their presence in the upper bracket of the playoffs.
Invictus Gaming will play another key match just a few hours later against Team Aster, who are also chasing a playoffs berth. ArcaneBet has published the esports odds for this match and Invictus Gaming are favourites with 2/5 while their opponents get 17/10. Their opponents are desperate for a win but they are also under tremendous pressure, as a defeat equals elimination.
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Team Aster and Keen Gaming have Their Faith in Their Own Hands
Team Aster have a terribly difficult mission in the last week of the DOTA 2 China Professional League, as they harbor a 2-4 record. They must win all three games and they are underdogs in all of them. They will try to take advantage of Vici Gaming’s lack of motivation as the runners-up are already qualified for the playoffs. Lack of pressure and the prospect of overtaking PSG.LGD make Vici a dangerous foe.
Assuming Team Aster stun Invictus Gaming on Tuesday and defeat the runners-up on Wednesday, they will still have an obstacle to overcome. In the final match of the day they play against Keen Gaming and this is once again a must-win game. Not surprisingly, Buff.bet gives preference to the team that currently stands in the fourth place. The odds are likely to drop if Team Aster win one of the previous two games of the day, as this would render the outcome of this fixture virtually irrelevant.
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