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Dota 29 years ago

Natus Vincere take top spot in Group B at the Manila Major


After Na’Vi took down Secret in two games, they found themselves in the winner’s bracket of Group B – awaiting their challenger. Digital Chaos would claim that spot after a thrilling three game series versus Wings Gaming.

Game One

First blood fell three minutes into the game, going in Na’Vi’s favour with a pick off on the Batrider top. Both teams settled into a pattern of farming and looked towards finding picks across the map. With ten minutes approaching, Na’Vi began to put a fair amount of pressure on the top lane – but good rotations from DC secured them a tier one mid tower. Na’Vi held the kill advantage at sixteen minutes, 8-5 and claimed the game's first Aegis around this stage, but soon after this, DC took down four of Na’Vi with a great Phoenix ultimate in the mid lane.

As twenty-two minutes approached, Na’Vi took the tier two tower bot and then started to look at the highground. With a perfectly executed play from the Dire, they were able to claim the tier three and barracks in the bot lane. And soon after this, Na’Vi took down four of DC and forced out a GG call.

Game Two

A quick fight at the early game bounty runes gave DC two kills at the cost of both runes going Na’Vi’s way – but DC kept the pressure up and claimed another two kills before three minutes had passed. The Dire team was applying much more pressure, grouping up to pick off targets really well, and managed to drop all Radiant tier one towers before fifteen minutes. DC continued to take vital fights, keeping the game completely in their favour, as both teams looked to claim themselves an Aegis. But a tiny mistake from DC’s Void almost gifted Na’Vi an Aegis and a team fight ended up going the way of the Radiant. Suddenly Na’Vi seemed to have greater map control and began to systematically push down tier two towers before they made their way to the highground mid and dropped the tier three.

DC began to gain some momentum again and claimed two quick kills and attempted to push further forward. They continued to pressure Na’Vi but just before fifty minutes had passed another small error allowed Na’Vi to drop four from the Dire team while only losing two. Na’Vi now looked toward the third Roshan but DC were going to fight for that objective. DC managed to utilise their buybacks and push Na’Vi away, thus they claimed the Aegis for themselves. With this advantage DC managed to take a massive fight mid as they dropped four from Na’Vi and knocked down the Radiant’s top melee barracks.

After a period of back and forth fights that saw DC and Na’Vi both claiming wins in skirmishes, Na’Vi moved into the Rosh pit and claimed the game’s fourth Aegis. With this Aegis, Na’Vi pushed down the top barracks but lost four on the back of it and DC attempted to push and forced buybacks. After more back and forth fights and as the game pushed toward ninety minutes, DC grabbed a kill on the Tinker and pushed down mid lane but Na’Vi utilised the Spirit Bear to force DC back. Na’Vi pushed to the high ground and dropped the final barracks, giving them super creep,s but DC took the proceeding fight and pushed straight down mid lane in an attempt to take the game.

After nearly 92 minutes, when DC looked like they might take the game, Na’Vi managed to teleport into the Dire base and utilising the Spirit Bear again, destroyed the throne.


DC gave everything and are definitely showing that they deserve their spot in the Major – but with the loss they will move on to face the winner of Wings versus Secret in an attempt to secure second place in Group B. If Secret do manage to overcome Wings, we're set for one of the most anticipated games of the group - Secret versus Digital Chaos.
On the back of the win Natus Vincere take the top spot in the group, going through with an undefeated 4-0 score line to the upper bracket of the main event.

Image source PGL twitter

Author
belandrial-avatar
Jarrad "Belandrial" AdamsBelandrial has spent most of his years following Dota 2 closely, but now has found a new home in the complex world of Mobile Esports. When not watching nearly every possible esports title available, you can find me running around Azeroth or building strange bases in Valheim.