OG secure the first victory; Team Nigma stands in their way

Who would have thought back in 2019 that the back-to-back TI champions would now be fighting for survival in the current The International 10: Western Europe Qualifier. OG is the highest grossing team in Dota 2, and to this day, they are the only team who have won two consecutive TI tournaments. They made history, but at the same time, this massive accomplishment might have lowered their guard down.

The International 10 will have 18 teams competing for the incredible $40.018.195, which is the highest prize pool this event has had so far. More importantly, 12 of those teams have made it there through the official Dota Pro Circuit 2021 Rankings. If we take a look at OG, they find themselves in 35th spot with just 36.13 points, which is highly unusual for a team of this caliber.

While this seems a bit odd, it does explain why OG is currently competing in the Qualifier. They have won their first match, but they’re now facing Team Nigma who have also won their match against Hellbear Smashers.

Can OG pull through?

Some believe that OG’s days are numbered and that they’re just riding on the coattails of their own fame, but we shouldn’t rush to judgement.

Back in 2018, OG won The International 2018 and went home with over $11.000.000. That’s what most people remember, but if we recall, they had to go through the European qualifiers first. Even then, the Group A was no sunshine and rainbows either, and the squad finished 4th behind Team Liquid, Evil Geniuses, and PSG.LGD. But despite all the esports odds against them, they still managed to fight their way through and finally claimed the Aegis of Champions for the first time ever.

The Dota 2 OG lineup
Image Credits | OG

As we now know, they repeated the same thing in 2019 when they claimed the Aegis for the 2nd time, accomplishing what no team has ever done before.

When asked the question if OG can pull through – we believe they can. They might not have ana and JerAx this time, as both of these players have retired from the competitive Dota 2 scene, but they have SumaiL and Saksa. With N0tail as the brains of the operation, and Ceb and Topson, this team could very well do the unthinkable and win The International for the third time in a row.

N0tail vs. KuroKy

This next match will be the battle of the ages. Both teams have a lot at stake, so it will be the perfect match for some Dota 2 betting. The two very experienced Captains are leading their teams, but which one will outsmart the other?

If we look at OG and Team Nigma, both squads finished their first match with a 2-1 score. While winning the match is what ultimately matters, it’s important to note that both of them lost the first game and then quickly recovered in the next two. This is completely normal since it’s the first match of the event, but both teams find themselves on equal footing in this case.

The ideal scenario for OG would be to eliminate the threat immediately and continue towards the Grand Final, but if by any chance they run out of luck, they will still have a second opportunity in the Lower Bracket.

It will be interesting to see whether OG can pull this off. Imagining them winning The International for the third time is a very exciting idea, but we must remain realistic. The Dota 2 landscape has changed a lot since 2019 and if OG wish to reclaim their throne, they’ll have to give it their all.

Denis Alihodzic
Denis Alihodzic

Since: March 1, 2021

Freelance writer with a passion for gaming and esports. Loves a good old-school RPG, and enjoys spending time with his dogs.

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