Dota 2 Lima Major: Liquid, Entity make upper bracket as EHOME, Knights get eliminated
12 teams are currently locked in five separate ties, setting up multiple high-stakes matches in the final day of the Group Stage.
We are now at the last leg of the Group Stage in the Dota 2 Lima Major, with some teams having secured spots in the Playoffs while others were already been eliminated.
Western European powerhouses Team Liquid and Entity were the first two teams to secure Playoff spots as they locked up the top two seeds in Group B.
Meanwhile, Chinese teams EHOME and Knights were the first two squads to get eliminated after another abysmal showing.
As for all the other remaining teams, chaos awaits in the final day of the Group Stage.
There are a total of five ties across both groups, three of which are in Group A, as teams prepare for a final push to secure an upper bracket berth or avoid early elimination.
Here's how things stand after the fourth day of action in the Lima Major Group Stage:
Chaos reigns in Group A as EHOME head for early exit
Things were looking good for Gaimin Gladiators and Talon Esports after day three, as they only needed a couple solid wins to secure their spots in the upper bracket. Instead, they are now in two separate ties featuring five teams for a spot in the Playoffs.
The Gladiators only managed to improve their record to 9-5 after ending day three with a 8-2 line. They got swept by South America's Evil Geniuses (EG) and were forced to a 1-1 draw by North America's TSM.
That opened the window for Eastern Europe's Team Spirit to get in a tie with the Gladiators for the first seed of their group. The champions of The International 10 (TI10) got to a 9-5 record after a huge sweep over TI11 champions Tundra Esports and a surprising 1-1 draw with EHOME.
Locked in a three-way tie are EG, Talon, and China's PSG.LGD with 8-6 records apiece. While both EG and Talon have put on solid performances, PSG.LGD are back in the mix for a spot in the Playoffs after overcoming a slow start to the Group Stage.
But while PSG.LGD have begun to mount a comeback, the wheels seem to have fallen off for Tundra. While the reigning TI champs managed to sweep Talon, their subsequent 0-2 loss to Spirit has put them in a jeopardized position with a 7-9 record.
On very thin ice are Execration and TSM, with 6-8 records apiece, while EHOME are already knocked out after only managing three wins out of 14 total games.
The final day of Group Stage matches for Group A will feature EG taking on TSM, Spirit facing Execration, Talon battling EHOME, and PSG.LGD matched up against Gaimin Gladiators.
Despite not playing on the final day of the Group Stage, Tundra will surely be keeping a close eye on the matches. They will need TSM and Execration to lose their matches in order to secure a spot in the Playoffs, otherwise tiebreakers will have to be played.
Liquid and Entity lock up upper bracket spots in Group B as Knights bomb out
While Western Europe's dominance has been challenged in Group A, the region has continued to reign supreme over in Group B.
Liquid and Entity were the first to secure upper bracket berths in the Playoffs as they claimed the top two spots of their group with 12-2 and 11-5 records, respectively.
However, things aren't as comfortable for Beastcoast, Shopify Rebellion, and Team Aster, who are locked in a three-way tie with 8-6 records apiece. While all three squads are a lock for the Playoffs, they will still be battling for the valuable cushion provided by the upper bracket.
Meanwhile, Southeast Asia's Geek Slate are treading water with a 6-8 record. Hot on their heels are Eastern Europe's BetBoom Team and HellRaiser, both with 5-9 records.
Finally, China's Knights have been the worst team of the Major by far. Out of 14 total games, they only managed to win one and will be joining EHOME on the early plane ride back to China.
The final day of matches for Group B is sure to be an exciting one.
Shopify Rebellion will be taking on Beastcoast in a match that will guarantee the winners an upper bracket berth. Aster will have a tough match against Liquid, but the Chinese team will need to win if they hope to make the upper bracket.
Meanwhile, the other two matches will determine the two other teams to be eliminated from Group B. Geek Slate will be facing BetBoom while HellRaisers will take on Knights.
Should Geek Slate sweep BetBoom, they take the final Playoff spot while the two Eastern European teams will be eliminated.
Here are the full standings after day four of the Lima Major Group Stage:
Group A:
Gaimin Gladiators: 9-5
Team Spirit: 9-5
Evil Geniuses: 8-6
PSG.LGD: 8-6
Talon Esports: 8-6
Tundra Esports: 7-9
Execration: 6-8
TSM: 6-8
EHOME: 3-11
Group B:
Team Liquid: 12-2
Entity: 11-5
Beastcoast: 8-6
Shopify Rebellion: 8-6
Team Aster: 8-6
Geek Slate: 6-8
HellRaisers: 5-9
BetBoom Team: 5-9
Knights: 1-13
The Lima Major Group Stage will take place from 22 to 26 February and will feature the 18 participating teams split into two groups of nine teams each fighting for a spot in the Playoffs.
Six out of the nine teams in each group will earn Playoff spots. The Top 4 teams of each group will advance to the upper bracket while the fifth and sixth-placed teams will have to start from the lower bracket.
Meanwhile, the bottom three teams in each group will be eliminated early.
The Lima Major is the first Major of the 2023 DPC season and will feature 18 of the best teams in the circuit battling for their share of the US$500,000 prize pool and 1,900 DPC point pool. For everything you need to know about the Lima Major, check here.
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