| Game 1 [32640641] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
 Evil Geniuses |  FnaticMSI | |||||||||||||||||||||||
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| [EG] YoDa (Top)[EG] se`busca (Top)[EG] FujiApples (Top)[EG] SemiJew (Mid)[EG] Dodo (Bot) | [MSI] Trixi (Top)[MSI] N0tail (Mid)[MSI] Fly (Bot)[MSI] NoVa_ (Bot)[MSI] Freshpro (Bot) | |||||||||||||||||||||||
In the first game we see a lot of strong hero picks, and nothing out of the ordinary except for Deadwood, which is a strong mid hero, especially in the hands of N0tail. Both EG and MSI have two very offensive trilanes, but unfortunately we don't get to see them go up versus each other. NoVa_ on Hammerstorm and Fly on Torturer instead roam to middle and get a very quick first blood on SemiJew playing the Soulstealer, giving N0tail the early advantage. FnaticMSI's trilane proves to be very effective as they manage to kill Arachna twice within 2.5 minutes, but with the cost of Hammerstorm dying once. Evil Geniuses realizes this and adapts by putting Magmus and Glacius down bottom to counter MSI's trilane.
Slither, that is laning versus Puppet Master has an easy time, which forces EG to try to stop him, this ends up in Slither killing both Glacius and Puppet Master, at the cost of his own life, giving Slither an even bigger advantage up top. Deadwood completely dominates middle and manages to kill Soulstealer three times, while farming at an impressive 410 gold per minute. Deadwood manages to buy his Portal Key 12 minutes into the game. MSI comes out on top 3-1 in a very crucial team fight in the middle lane, giving them a gold lead of 13k. MSI continues to own the game and gets a Kongor kill 17 minutes in. Slither, Deadwood and Valkyrie are all now farming 400 gold per minute.
In a desperate attempt to get back in to the game EG loses four people to MSI in a team fight by the top barracks. EG kept trying but did not come close to getting back in to the game and it was concede at 33 minutes. MSI are looking very strong and EG is going to have to step up their game for the second game in this best of three series.
| Game 2 [32647362] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| FnaticMSI | Evil Geniuses | |||||||||||||||||||||||
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| [MSI] Trixi (Top)[MSI] N0tail (Mid)[MSI] Fly (Bot)[MSI] NoVa_ (Bot)[MSI] Freshpro (Bot) | [EG] YoDa (Top)[EG] FujiApples (Top)[EG] se`busca (Top)[EG] SemiJew (Mid)[EG] Dodo (Bot) | |||||||||||||||||||||||
In game 2 MSI surprisingly picks up Balphagore, who is more or less never picked up in competitive games. We also see Moon Queen being picked by EG, who has been seen running her in their line up before, but rarely. Looking at the trilanes, MSI has a very common Swiftblade lineup, which is a very strong aggressive trilane, and EG is running a Moon Queen trilane, which is quite a bold tactic. We have Balphagore mid going up against Thunderbringer. EG seems to be going for a very early / mid game heavy setup with Thunderbringer leading the way in the damage department, and MSI running a very strong late game setup.
The game starts out extremely passive, and the teams seem a bit scared to try to create some opportunities. Balphagore is having an easy time with Andromeda and Thunderbringer mid. 6 and a half minute in to the game Thunderbringer pops the cherry, so to speak, and gets the bloodlust kill on Nymphora who was sitting mid while Balphagore was getting a rune. EG finally takes command of the game, and Moon Queen, who is currently farming at 350 gold per minute shows that she will be a force to be reckoned with. Swiftblade is farming 400 gold per minute in the bottom lane, without anything there to stop him.
The game is still very passive, but EG has a slight advantage at the moment, Thunderbringer has done a huge comeback from his laning phase in middle, hes now managed to get 5 kills and 350 gold per minute. After a clash by the bottom tower, EG manages to kill Swiftblade, Balphagore and Nymphora at the cost of Pharaoh. Thunderbringer keeps getting kills without having to give his life in return and Moon Queens farm keeps growing bigger. EG continues to take advantage of the game and Thunderbringer is at 10-0 at the moment, which is amazing considering the laning phase he had. Moon Queen is doing 450 gold per minute.
After a crucial team fight down in the bottom lane Thunderbringer manages to get an Annihilation AND Immortal in the same kill, this is something I've never seen before and I'm sure it was devastating to MSI. The game looks like it's won by EG at this moment. But MSI is not going to give up just yet. After a failed attempt to get back in to the game by MSI they concede the game at 35 minutes. Moon Queen is farming 530 gold per minute and Thunderbringer ends up with 18/0.
| Game 3 [32653131] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Evil Geniuses | FnaticMSI | |||||||||||||||||||||||
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| [EG] FujiApples (Top)[EG] SemiJew (Mid)[EG] YoDa (Bot)[EG] Dodo (Bot)[EG] se`busca (Bot) | [MSI] Trixi (Top)[MSI] N0tail (Mid)[MSI] Fly (Bot)[MSI] NoVa_ (Bot)[MSI] Freshpro (Bot) | |||||||||||||||||||||||
After two one-sided games, we move in to the third game where a lot is on the line between these two rivals. We see Moon Queen being first picked by YoDa and he clicks ready instantly, this can seem a bit cocky, so he has a lot of pressure on him to deliver again. On MSI we have a very unusual pick in Blacksmith, who is going to be run in the trilane a long with Glacius and Valkyrie. And this time we will see the trilanes go head to head.
We don't have to wait long before we see some action going down by the bottom lane where the two trilanes are facing each other. Glacius gets the bloodlust kill on Andromeda, but EG follows that up with a kill on Blacksmith, Glacius manages to get a double tap by killing Moon Queen and making sure MSI comes out on top from that clash. At the 2 minute mark Soulstealer manages to get a kill on Pharaoh who is a bit too confident and dives the tower. This is huge for Soulstealer since it gives him a big advantage and Pharaoh will have to play well to come out on top from the laning phase. Meanwhile in the top lane, Electrician is basically free farming and Tundra can do nothing about it. Pharaoh gets killed once more in the middle by Tundra, Andromeda and Soulstealer. Soulstealer is farming at 300 gold per minute now, but Electrician is farming 350.
Moon Queen is having some troubles getting any farm going in this trilane, while Valkyrie is farming at about 300 gold per minute. Meanwhile at top, EG manages to kill Electrician who has been farming without anyone there to be able to do anything. At 23 minutes, MSI tries to kill Kongor. This proves to be a critical mistake as EG initiates and manages to genocide MSI and gets the token, at the cost of one death, in Soulstealer. EG just got a huge advantage in the game and MSI has to do something very soon to be able to turn to tides. Moon Queens farm has also been rocketing, up to 320 gold per minute. 32 minutes in to the game MSI tries to push the middle tower, EG counters this with 5 teleports to the middle tower and they manage to kill Blacksmith and Valkyrie. At the 35 minute mark MSI makes another attempt to kill Kongor, EG initiates on MSI and kills 3 of them. 37 minutes in to the game EG manages to genocide MSI and get the middle barracks. MSI concedes the game and EG makes wins a spot in the grand final of the HoNor Tournament Invitational!
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