The heart-pounding action continued at TI9 today as we saw two more of our teams eliminated. Let’s see how the day panned out.

Lower Bracket

The day began with round two of our Lower Bracket series. While some might have thought the morning’s matches would be over early, our teams had other things in mind.

Newbee vs Infamous

Game One

Infamous have been full of surprised this TI. The opening to game one of their series against Newbee was no different. They came in aggressive and took the first 4 kills by the time the game hit 4-minutes. Newbee appeared to be sleeping on the laning phase. They didn’t take their first kill until 8-minutes.

By the time the game reached 15-minutes Infamous were taking over. They were up in the kills, 6-12, and had pocketed themselves a comfortable 2k gold advantage.

There was just no slowing down this Infamous draft. At 25-minutes Infamous took game 1. This game showed us how dangerous K1/Hector can be on his Wraith King. 9/0/4 was his KDA at the end of game one. Chris Luck was on fire too, with Monkey King going 11/1/8.

Game Two

Newbee knew how much was on the line here, and they didn’t want to give it up. Infamous took first blood again, but this time Newbee were ready to fight back. The kills were 4-3 at 5-minutes, a much faster start for Newbee than in game one.

Our teams were eight kills apiece at 15-minutes in. Newbee were pulling into the lead. By the time this game reached the 30-minute mark it looked like Newbee had everything under control. With a 13k advantage in the gold, they were 21-10 in the kills and ready to end it.

But Infamous held on. They made Newbee fight them for another ten minutes before they finally relented and called GG at 40-minutes. Newbee had a 20-kill lead at the end of in this game. CC&C really did work for his team in game two. He went 13/2/7 on Outworld Devourer.

Game Three

With the series equalized, the pressure was on for both teams. The kills were 1-1 by 2-minutes, everyone had their eye on the prize.

But with a Slark pick for Chris Luck and Scofield on Earth Spirit Infamous had the ability to play mobile and aggressive. And they did. They created all the space K1’s Wraith King needed. Hector had 99% item efficiency on his Hand of Midas at 15-minutes and he kills were sitting at 12-12. After seeing how fearless he was on this hero in game one, Newbee perhaps should have banned it out. But it was on the field now and it was going to cause them trouble.

It was a close game, but Infamous wanted to keep making history at TI9. At 39-minutes and with their rax down and throne exposed, Newbee called GG. Infamous were taking this series for SA Dota, 2–1.

Secret vs Mineski

Game One

Next up was Secret vs Mineski with Moon on Alchemist and a last pick Meepo for Midone. Both teams were playing fast line ups and the kill-count showed it. There were 7-kills on the board by 7 minutes. Mineski were one up.

Secret tried for Roshan at 18-minutes, but Mineski’s contest left them using buy backs to secure it. The buy backs paid off for them. They took the next team fight with aegis and slashed Mineski’s 12k gold lead down to just 2k.

But Mineski wanted this win, and it looked like they were going to get it. The kills were 22-27 at 33-minutes. Mineski had mega creeps.

You can never count out a Team Secret comeback. Despite being up 10k in the net worth, Secret managed a miracle hold out. With no buybacks for Mineski, Puppey and the boys had just 80-seconds to take this win and take it they did. Evening out the kills in the process to 29-29.

Game Two

If game one didn’t get your heart racing, then Mineski were here to ramp it up. This time we had five kills by 5-minutes, and Mineski had taken over the laning phase to give themselves a 2k gold lead.

Things were looking very good for Mineski by the time the lanes ended too. 5-14 kills at 15-minutes and Nikobaby and Moon dominating the net worth. But then we had seen how well Secret played from behind in game one.

A beautiful stolen chronosphere from Yapzor’s Rubick at 24-minutes slowed things down and little Secret even out the kills a little. Secret were taking this to the late game.

Mineski never fear the late game though. Despite Secret keeping up the pace, going for a push for the T4’s close to the 50-minute mark, Mineski kept their cool. This game was going to be theirs. They held out against the push, swept the Roshan at 52-minutes and mopped up the game at 53-minutes.

Game Three

Blitz said it best. These teams were bringing out the best in each other, which is why we were treated to an unexpected game three.

Mineski took the kill lead again in the early game. But that was changing by 10-minutes in. Secret were pulling ahead, they had the 1k gold advantage before 15-minutes. They were overrunning Mineski. It took until past 30-minutes for the SEA team to really show signs of life. We saw some long and gruelling team fights as Mineski tried to wrest back the control they’d lost. But Secret were not letting go.

At 46-minutes, they were inside Mineski’s base and taking down the T4’s. Completely ignoring Nikobaby’s attempts to push them out, Secret were on the throne at 47-minutes. The series belonged to them, 2–1. Mineski were going home.

Even with the loss, this was an amazing series for Moon. He took most kills overall, racking up 30 over the three games. Puppey proved why he’s one of the world’s best supports. A total of 55 assists across this series.

Upper Bracket

Our Upper Bracket saw plenty of excitement as well. We saw our third three-game series of the day, and more magical Dota 2 on the main stage.

LGD vs Vici

Game One

It was China against China in our opening series of round two of the Upper Bracket. Vici came into game one like a freight train. Taking first blood and three more kills before LGD finally managed to spill any blood on the map.

But LGD were not interested in matching Vici’s aggression. They played it slow and steady until Ame came online. Then, at 33-minutes, they marched up bottom lane, taking the T2 and a full lane of rax. Vici managed to defend the push and went to reset with Roshan at 41-minutes.

There was no reset to be had, however. LGD contested them in the pit. Now the kills were 20-13 and LGD were going back in for that high ground push.

Vici called GG at 42-minutes. Game one of the series was going to LGD.

Game Two

We had a slower start to game two. Vici still took first blood, but they were more cautious this time. Their patience paid off. As the game moved out of the lanes, they were finding pick off after pick off and LGD weren’t finding much. They had a greedy line up with a Hand of Midas on Ame, Somnus and Chalice. But it was the 20-minute mark, Vici had the lead in the gold and the kills.

Sometimes, greed pays. At least it did for LGD in this game. At 24-minutes a beautiful team fight brought them close to Vici in the kills, 11-15. From here on out, it was a comeback.

Another team fight at 29-minutes cut Vici’s kill lead down to just one. They were disengaging like dancers at the end of every takedown. By 40-minutes it was clear the game belonged to LGD. They had a 30k lead in experience and a 13k lead in gold. At 42-minutes LGD closed out the series 2–0. Vici were going to the lower bracket.

This was an excellent game for Somnus on Dragon Knight. He went 9/2/11, securing the most kills for his team. Ame took the most kills in this series overall, with a total of 15.

OG vs EG

Game One

The final battle on our main stage was OG vs Evil Geniuses. SumaiL was thirsty for kills right from the beginning of the game. He’d taken two kills on Topson’s Invoker in mid and the score was 0-3 at 4-minutes. EG were taking control of the laning phase.

Not just the laning phase, but the game. Arteezy had a 10k net worth lead by 16-minutes in. OG were being bullied mercilessly.

SumaiL and Arteezy went in for the Rosh at 18-minutes while the rest of EG distracted OG with a play on Topson. Now they had a Terrorblade with an aegis knocking on their door.

At 24-minutes EG were pushing in to OG’s base. They took a full lane of rax, then pulled back to secure more map control taking the shrines. With a 12k net worth advantage, EG were ready to end it. The kills were 8-26 when OG finally called GG. A nice, quick win for EG.

Poor Topson had one of his worst runs on Invoker this game one, with a KDA of 0/6/7.

Game Two

OG came into game two looking much more focused than their first game. They gave away first blood to Evil Geniuses. But then took the next four kills. Topson and Ana were leading through the lanes and the team were exhibiting a lot more control. Topson was especially on fire, he was taking double kills by 10-minutes and OG were 12 to EG’s 4.

But EG weren’t down and out yet. They managed to come out on top in engagements enough to narrow OG’s lead, 18-14 at 21-minutes.

Then, Ana came online, swinging in and smashing EG down. The rest of the game was an outstanding performance for him. He managed to pull out some clutch chronospheres, including a three-man chrono at 30-minutes.

OG were not letting EG have this one. They rolled right over EG’s attempts to defend their base, ending the game just before the 42-minute mark with a 16-kill lead. This series was going to a game three.

Topson had a much better time on his Tiny pick in this game, he ended at 13/4/15.

Game Three

Kills were flying from EG in the opening of game three. They were not willing to give up their place in the Upper Bracket. They dominated OG in the openings of the game, kills were 2-5 at 8-minutes.

But the 9-minute mark would see OG take a fight on their side of the map which would flip things again. They snatched away the slight gold lead EG had been building and ran with it.

The kills were even, but OG were 5k ahead in the net worth at 19-minutes. The game would only last eight minutes more. EG were unable to stop the EU team as they forged ahead with their high ground push at 24-minutes. Sweeping lane after lane of rax until EG finally called GG, just before the timer reached 28-minutes.

A 2–1 series for OG who continue their Upper Bracket run at The International. Evil Geniuses will face the winner of Royal Never Give Up and Team Liquid, tomorrow.

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Image Credit: Valve