iG defeats LGD in an exciting semifinal series which needed the maximum number of games. Because of the 3-2 win, they will be advancing into the finals to face DK in the $228,000 tournament.
After winning the first match, iG slipped and had their backs against the wall as they dropped back-to-back games against LGD. They were, however, able to bounce back as they won the last two match of the series, enough for them to qualify into the finals of this tournament.
iG will be fighting DK on the best-of-seven finals of the WPC-ACE tournament tomorrow at 03:00 CET (10:00 SGT). DK advanced to the finals after defeating VG 3-0 on the finals. Meanwhile, LGD will be going up against VG for the third-place decider later this day.
The Champion of WPC-ACE will receive a staggering $163,000, and the runner-up will get $49,000. The third will receive $16,000. This prize pool is only second to The International when it comes to Dota 2 tournaments.
Game 1
LGD had a gank-oriented line-up, while iG was banking on their Lone Druid to carry them in late game. Despite some successful ganks in the early game, iG was able to weather the storm and they were able to make sure that their carry is safe. They also managed to win their lanes very convincingly, evident from the team not losing any towers until the 40-minute mark.
Even that tower siege came on a big expense as LGD lost mulitple heroes then. iG made a move on the middle lane after, and they comfortably breached high-ground and killed most enemy heroes with most of their heroes still on full HP after the engagement.
Game 2
iG took a good pushing / global line-up, while LGD responded with equally strong five-man team. The latter surprised the former by placing Nyx on the offlane and the Timbersaw on the middle lane, but iG still has the early advantage after they took first blood and the first tower of the game.
LGD did well in exchanging, as they also scored hero and tower kills. This was good, considering LGD's hero in Spectre is known to have a relatively weaker early game that most carries. LGD pushed the pressure on the middle lane and took some kills, but iG was doing an excellent job in holding on. However, Spectre was getting a lot of farm, and a nail was driven after he was able to score a triple kill on the 17th minute. From the graphs showing basically even on both gold and experience, it turned to a 3,000 dip on both of those plots after the big team fight for LGD.
iG was able to snatch a Roshan kill, but it was not enough to negate LGD's big lead. The former called GG after a 4-1 team fight by LGD on the 26th minute. By then, the Timbersaw and the Spectre has a combined KDA of 18-0-22 between them.
Game 3
With the series tied up, Venomancer found its way on the picks for the third game in a row. He is paired with the usual five-hero team of LGD in Bounty Hunter and Crystal Maiden. Meanwhile, iG has a stronger late game with their Gyrocopter and Kunkka pick. It didn't start well for iG though, as they gave out first blood even before the creeps spawned.
The teams exhanged kills, but it was LGD getting the advantage because of their less farm-oriented carries. They were able to combine towers with their small team fight victories to make themselves more ahead than what the hero kills were showing. With both teams having ten kills apiece on their name by the 16th minute, LGD's time came as they relentless tried to force out battles. They were able to do so greatly as well, getting 18 out of the last 21 kills and then taking the advantage on the series, 2-1.
Game 4
Just one win into the finals, LGD went with a big burst trilane in a Disruptor, Gyrocopter and Rubick. LGD tried to counter it by putting the Furion solo on the safe lane, and then went with an offensive trilane who would want to punish the squishy heroes of the enemy. They themselves are squishy though, and both of those supports died to the enemy to start the game.
There were two separate team fights on the top and middle lane respectively. While LGD somehow stood their ground on the top lane, it went sour for them on the middle lane. It was a total blood bath, with the teams each having 14 kills under their name even before the game reaches the 14-minute mark. The trades were going in favor of iG though, as they also found themselves with a decent 4,000 gold lead at that mark.
Gyrocopter is not able to find any space to farm, while all of iG's core heroes are getting very fat. With 3 BKBs on the side of iG, LGD cannot contest against iG at all. The latter was also very far up on items, and LGD just called GG after they were destroyed on iG's uphill siege on the bottom lane.
Game 5
With the series tied at two games a piece, we head into the all-important fifth game. LGD tried an offensive trilane on their line-up which features the Lifestealer-Storm combo, while iG had the Mirana-Bane combo. It was iG who drew the first kills of the game with the Nigthmare-Arrow, totally destroying LGD's attempt on an offensive trilane.
LGD still had a minor lead due to the jungling Chen, but iG suddenly jumped ahead after they took multiple uncontested heroes. LGD was also missing experience due to the infested Storm not being able to find any openings. There was a very long tension on the Roshan pit where both teams kept taking turns at each other, but it was iG who eventually ended up on top. Both Lifestealer and Storm ended up being very underfarmed compared to the enemy Dragon Knight and Mirana, and LGD had no choice but to call GG after they lost four heroes on a middle-lane engagement.
Headline photo by SCN.tv
