Team Empire dominated the CIS region to claim the region's only TI7 slot.
With all of the four top teams boasting a 7:2 score in the group stage, Team Empire and Team Spirit were close rivals coming into the playoffs.
A series of 2:0 sweeps over Team Spirit and Vega gave Team Empire the edge and first spot in the coveted grand finals. Team's Spirit unfortunate fall from the top brackets to the bottom brackets in the first round proved to only be a minor inconvenience. The team then surged forward in the lower route taking down m19 and then Vega Squadron also in two consecutive sweeps. With their success, the stage had been set for the grand finals.
The first game of the series seemed to belong to Team Spirit. However, Spirit failed to capitalize on lead in first game and close it out, falling further and further behind thanks to Team Empire's great initiation time and time again. Threatening and durable Empire's rotations and coordination choked out Spirit's momentum and brought them down in the end.
Once again, Team Spirit started out strong in the second game. Once again, Team Empire's initiation and tanky draft allowed them to run in and take control choking Team Spirit's lead out. Empire's execution was not as clean and tidy as in the previous game but it was certainly enough to get the job done and secure them a two game lead towards a ticket to Seattle.
The potentially (and ultimately) deciding third game gave Team Spirit a burst of energy and motivation. Taking a slight lead early on they then seized the momentum after a successful fight and gripped onto it tightly long enough to give them hope. Team Empire showed no mercy and snatched it back from them, lead, hope, victory and the TI7 slot.
TI7 participating teams
OG (direct invite)
Virtus.Pro (direct invite)
Evil Geniuses (direct invite)
Team Liquid (direct invite)
Invictus Gaming (direct invite)
Newbee (direct invite)
Team Secret (EU qualifier)
NP (NA qualifier)
TnC (SEA qualifier)
Fnatic (SEA qualifier)
iG.Vitality (CN qualifier)
Execration(SEA qualifier)
LGD Forever Young (CN qualifier)
Team Empire (CIS qualifier)
TBD (EU qualifier)
TBD (NA qualifier)
TBD (SA qualifier)
TBD (CN qualifier)
TI7 main event will once again take place at the KeyArena in Seattle, Washington, between August 7th-12th - featuring 18 teams for the first time.
The International 7 prize pool is already outpacing The International 6 one. As of June 29th, the total TI7 prize pool has already reached $19.7 million, thus on track to breaking records once again and becoming the largest in esports history.
Click here for results, VODs and all the other information
