Vici Gaming takes down Dream Time 2-0 and ends their dream run in the best-of-three loser's bracket finals of the Sina Cup. Vici Gaming will now proceed to the grand final in which they will take on DK to determine the winner of this year's tournament.
Game 1
In the first game of the best-of-three, Dream Time opted to pick up two strong supports from the Naga Siren and Visage to help the Anti-Mage while Vici Gaming countered with a Doom and Nature's Prophet indicating their intentions to stop the Anti-Mage from farming and potentially snowballing the game beyond control.
First blood came to Dream Time as the fragile Witch Doctor was dived upon and netted at the tier one tower before dropping easily to the combined attacks from Dream Time. The action did not stop there as both teams fought it out to stamp their domination on the lane. Vici Gaming took an edge in the constant skimishes as the power of the Paralysing Casks secured two kills on the Naga Siren and forced DT to play more defensively.
Meanwhile on the bottom lane, Xdd struggled to deal with the Nature's Prophet as the double damage rune picked up allowed rOtk to easily outhit and harass the Anti-Mage. Despite the Doom wasting his ultimate on a Naga's illusion, Dreamyu was caught in the trees and picked off along with the middle tier one tower. With map control going the way of Vici Gaming and the key lockdown items completed on both the Doom and Nature's Prophet, Dream Time were boxed into the confines of their base as the Anti-Mage struggled to keep up with the farm from Luna.
Vici Gaming then pushed the tier three tower at top forcing two buybacks from the Bristleback and Naga Siren before Xdd's Anti-Mage cleaned up both Luna and Witch Doctor in a two for two trade. Doom and Nature's Prophet then caught out the Anti-Mage on the bottom lane and he was only saved by the brave sacrifice coming from the Naga Siren to save his team mate. This created an opening for Vici Gaming to push the bottom lane. Gg was then called as Dream Time lost 4 heroes in the final engagement and had both their barracks destroyed.
Game 2
With one game away from being eliminated from the whole tournament, Dream Time opted for a change in supports and carry with Disruptor and Alchemist being picked up along with the Morphling. Vici Gaming responded by stealing the Anti-Mage away along with the Leshrac and Rubick. For the middle lane, Vici picked up the Invoker to take on the Queen of Pain while Batrider and Dark Seer were sent to the suidical offlanes of both teams.
First blood came of the way to Dream Time as the powerful combination of Disruptor's Glimpse and Alchemist's stun ensure that rOtk's Batrider always remained at the scene. Both teams supports then began to smoke gank around the same time with Rubick and Leshrac attempting to gank the Queen of Pain before being easily spotted from the high ground. Meanwhile the gank coming from both Disruptor and Alchemist was successful as they waited just past the radiant tier one tower to take down the struggling Batrider and secure the tower gold. rOtk's life in the top lane became a living hell as he gave 4 kills away to the Morphling in the space of 6 minutes.
A 3 man smoke gank behind the bottom tier one tower on the dire side caught out the Dark Seer as well as both the Disruptor and Alchemist for the price of the Leshrac. Dream Time responded back by a fantastic Vaccum by Dark Seer setting up a 3-1 trade. With the mid tier two tower gone, Dream Time began picking off Vici's heroes one by one creating space to take down Roshan. A push on the top lane turned out disasterous for Dream Time as Dark Seer was caught out by the Batrider and Disruptor falling to the Anti-Mage.
The final turning point into Dream Time's journey began with Alchemist being caught out once again by rOtk's Batrider. The power of the Manta Style Anti-Mage illusions drained away the mana from the Morphling and prevented him from escaping the onslaught. With 4 heroes down on the bench, Vici Gaming took advantage of the sudden change of momentum and took down the barracks on the bottom lane.
A final battle near the Roshan pit for the Aegis and cheese was the last straw drawn by Dream Time as Alchemist blinked into the pit and failed in his attempts to catch out any of Vici's heroes. Vici responded in kind and team-wiped all of Dream Time while securing both the Aegis and cheese. Vici Gaming then pushed down the middle lane as Dream Time atttempted one last stand before falling down and calling the gg.
Vici Gaming takes down Dream Time 2-0 and ends their journey in the Sina Cup while they will take on DK in a battle to determine the victor of this year's tournament.
Headline photo by ESL
