image source: PGL
Team Liquid and Fnatic clashed in the Group C winners match, the Europeans coming after a fairly contested series versus Alliance while Fnatic had just swept through Vici Gaming Reborn.
Game One
Despite a very strong draft from Fnatic, built around Chong Xin 'Ohaiyo' Khoo’s Dark Seer that emphasized the pick off potential and split push capability from Ember Spirit, Team Liquid was able to survive the very early aggression. They lost their Lycan just once in the top lane and managed to avoid all the mid lane ganks, which enabled them to start the five man push just before the ten minute mark.
Very sloppy plays from Yeik Zheng 'MidOne' Nai, who got caught alone countless times by the Furrion and Dragon Knight caused Fnatic to lose the mid game stage and made it impossible for them to either defend the high ground or split push the map.
However, 33 minutes into the game, with the mid lane of barracks already gone and fighting to defend the bottom lane, Fnatic landed the big wombo combo Vacuum-Wall into Torrent - Ghost Ship for the first time on four Liquid heroes and achieved a team wipe. But that alone was not enough for a comeback as Adrian 'FATA-'Trinks continued to grow and acquire late game items and he simply became unkillable. Liquid took the advantage in the series at the end of very intense 51 minute game.
Game Two
For the second game both teams went with comfort picks, Liquid once again securing a heavy pushing line up, but this time with a bit of a twist. They chose to have a greedy support duo with a jungle Axe for Kuro Salehi 'KuroKy' Takhasomi. Despite running two solo lanes, they still managed to win the entire laning stage.
Razor gave Chai Yee 'Mushi' Fung’s Medusa really hard times mid lane with constant damage steal via Static Link, Dark Seer kept the Ember Spirit under control and even got an early kill on him with a Jesse 'JerAx' Vainikka rotation while Tidehunter was continuously bullied out of the lane by the duo Lycan - Earth Spirit.
But things changed dramatically once Liquid grouped for the five man push, again before the ten minute mark. Fnatic responded with their entire squad rotating mid and managed to repel Liquid multiple times, even securing two-three kills without casualties, which suddenly boosted Medusa’s gold income while Tidehunter was able to find his Blink Dagger.
Despite losing team fight after team fight Liquid continued to stick together and push. They even managed to take down the mid lane tier three tower but on the retreat path they got wiped, Fnatic capitalized on the momentum and unleashed the offense. However, they allowed TL to get a free Roshan which made the high ground breach harder, but eventually pushed the series into game three with great usage of Medusa’s Stone Gaze and perfect Ravages from Ohaiyo.
Game Three
The last game of the series started with great mind games around the laning strategy as Liquid last picked Leshrac while Fnatic responded with a Nyx Assassin to counter not only Lesh but also JerAx’s Phoenix.
Read as a core Axe, Liquid tried to avoid the mid matchup Nyx-Leshrac and sent Lycan in the mid lane. However, Fnatic was one step ahead with their thinking and surprised Kuroky’s team with a mid Adam '343' Shah - Axe while MidOne was sent offlane on the Nyx and Mushi handled the safe lane Gyrocopter.
Against all expectations for a great counter game, Fnatic was only able to secure a good start for Gyrocopter who dominated his lane. Once Liquid started to do what they know better, the Spiked Carapace from Nyx was not enough to stop the damage burst and despite good three - four men taunts from Axe, Fnatic was still not able to repeat the game two great defense. They always achieved a kill or two in team fights and the overall game was a back and forth battle, but Liquid landed a couple of successful Vacuums into the Split Earth AOE stun and melted down Fnatic’s buildings with Diabolic Edicts, claiming the first place finish in Group C and a comfortable upper bracket start at the Manila Major main event.
Fnatic’s second chance will be played in the decider series of Group C, against the winner of Alliance versus Vici Gaming Reborn.