image credits: esl-gaming
Execration secure the quarterfinals at ESL One Genting.
Game One
Execration won the draft for game one with a lineup that demonstrated the strong five-man capabilities that their lineup held. The early game was an action-packed one as WG.Unity’s lineup looked to fight early, and came out as the winners of the early-game with successful ganks all over the map and a 12 minute Scepter on Mirana. Execration, however, kept the farm game going, with farm distributed among their three cores and their roaming Sand King. Transitioning their networth advantage into objectives, Execration were knocking on the Dire base soon enough. WG not only pulled off a successful base defense by using their buybacks and commendable teamfight coordination, but they soon turned the tables on Execration by winning another successful clash in the middle lane and capitalizing on it by taking a full lane of barracks of Execration.
A hot target for both the teams was Roshan, and an important fight over it spelled disaster for WG as they tried to finish Execration’s heroes at low health. WG even expended their buybacks for it. The WG cores were punished for the mistake, and Mirana was banished for two minutes with no buyback. Not only did this mean an Aegis on Luna, but Execration looked to close out the game while Mirana was dead and marched from the top lane straight to the Tier 4 towers, leaving WG in disarray and securing the game for themselves.
Game Two
The draft for game two looked better for WG Unity than the previous game, even though Execration had been able to snag their signature Puck, as WG fought for tournament life. The early game seemed to be a replicate of that of the first game, with WG dictating the pace of the game. Securing the first blood on DJ’s Axe in the offlane, ah jit’s morphling was very comfortable in the safelane. On the opposite side, the Timbersaw and Earth Spirit duo in the offlane kept pressuring Gabbi’s Naga Siren and getting successful kills on her with their coordinated efforts. The Ah Jit Morphling continued to have the time of his life as his farm accelerated rapidly. He had a Linken’s Sphere and a completed Ethereal Blade just 17 minutes into the game. Taking objective after objective, Execration were unable to respond to WG’s aggression with an underfarmed Naga Siren and an Axe without his Blink Dagger constantly getting picked off.
Getting pickoffs here and there and making life hell for Execration, WG were able to secure a sub-20 minute Roshan similar to last game, but this time they were able to breach high ground without any difficulty. The defense from Execration’s side was very lackluster, especially because of their lack of farm and the strength of WG’s cores. Losing hero after hero in their desperate attempts to defend their base, soon they had lost almost two lanes of barracks and had given their opponents a lead that was almost impossible to come back from. After a quick reset and a completed Eye of Skadi on their already massive Morphling, WG quickly returned to the Execration base to claim the final set of Barracks and finish off the helpless Execration who had no choice but to call GG.
Game Three
As in the rest of the games, the draft for game three was to be an important part of the game between these two Southeast Asian teams. Interestingly enough, WG let the Meepo through and Execration did not hesitate to pick it up, with WG responding directly with a Winter Wyvern pick and an Underlord. WG finished their draft with an Alchemist to face off against the Meepo mid, and Execration went with a safelane Mirana.
This time it was Execration who decided to go for a dual offlane with their Batrider and Earth Spirit, and it proved successful for them as they were able to get the first blood on ah jit’s Juggernaut which allowed Earth Spirit to leave the lane and create space all around the map. Unlike their previous games WG could not establish their dominance over Execration in the early game as their Alchemist was the victim of support rotations and was quickly burst down. With DJ getting an early Blink Dagger on his Batrider, Execration were able to hold their lead in the mid-game and controlled WG’s aggression with their remarkable execution and coordination in teamfights, all while more and more space was created for Gabbi on his Meepo. Similar to what WG did when they were ahead, Execration were able to get a fast Roshan with their Meepo, and WG were not equipped to contest it. Again, as in the previous games, Execration used the Aegis on their Meepo to quickly siege all of WG’s outer towers, exploiting Meepo’s siege capabilities to their fullest. Even though Alchemist continued to secure his own farm, the Gabbi Meepo--now very massive and hitting its power spike--was a constant threat to WG’s base. However, in a bottom lane fight where WG were able to get a successful Winter’s Curse on all the Meepos, Alchemist showed Execration that it was possible for them to deal with the Meepo. Soon after Gabbi was able to snag a quick Roshan, Execration smoked and were ready to break high ground, which they were able to do after getting a double lasso on Alchemist and Silencer. However, after one lane of Barracks, Execration were unable to successfully retreat as WG were able to blow the Aegis on Meepo and kill him for a second time as well.
A crazy teamfight in the middle lane right in front of WG’s base was the crucial fight of the game. WG were able to blow their ultimates on Meepo and kill him, but he quickly bought back, eager to win the teamfight. WG, however, were able to get Meepo for a second time. WG's focus on Meepo had exhausted all their resources, and Execration capitalized on that opening. Mirana along with the other supports was able to teamwipe Execration, and more importantly they claimed the remaining sets of Barracks, securing Mega Creeps. Smoked towards the bottom lane, Execration tried to finish off the game, but they were unable to do so and were only able to get the Winter Wyvern. Resetting, Execration again smoked towards the bottom lane, but this time DJ was able to hit a sick double lasso on both Underlord and Nyx Assasin. As his team worked on them he quickly refreshed his ultimate and was able to get another doublelasso, this time on the Juggernaut and Winter Wyvern. With four heroes down without any losses from the side of Execration, the Alchemist of WG was helpless and had no choice but to concede the game.
