The International 2019 Group Stage Day 3 Recap
The penultimate day of The International 2019 group stages featured another set of 20 best of 2 matches that would’ve been impossible to follow if you didn’t sit in front of your computer streaming the multicast all day. Here’s a recap of what you may have missed:
TNC, Mineski wound Secret
Team Secret started off Day 3 at the top of Group A comfortably beating TNC Predator in their first match. With TNC outdrafted and losing their bottom T2 tower early into the second game, Secret looked posed to extend their unbeaten run and widen the gap between them and second-placed PSG.LGD. But the all-Filipino squad had other ideas as they later won fight after fight against Secret and took a 40K net-worth lead that Nisha’s Rapier-bearing Sniper could do little about. Secret tapped out after 52 minutes and TNC became the first team to hand them a loss after 3 days of Group Stage matches. The top team of the DPC season immediately looked a lot more like themselves when they bounced back and steamrollered Mineski 23-1 in their next game. But the SEA team clawed their way back to take game 2 and salvage a draw, denting Secret’s record even more.
Upper Bracket Slots Sealed
Puppey and co. may have failed to play their best in their last two series, but they desperately needed to regain their form if they wanted to get something out of their top-of-the-group clash against PSG.LGD. But just when Secret thought their day couldn’t get any worse, they looked utterly toothless throughout the series and lost both games against the TI8 runners-up.
Meanwhile, all looks bright and beautiful for defending champions OG after winning both games against Fnatic in their only series of the day to nail down the top spot in Group B with 13 points. LGD’s dominant performance over Secret takes them to the top of Group A with 12 points while Secret closely trail with 10.
All to Play for
OG, Team Secret, and PSG.LGD have cemented their slots in the Upper Bracket with a day left to play, but what does this mean for the 5 slots still up for grabs? Only two points separate third-placed Newbee and seventh-placed Team Liquid, while Mineski, Alliance, and TNC are caught in a three-way tie for fourth place in Group A. Vici Gaming, ranked second in Group B with 8 points, are one point ahead of Na’Vi and two points ahead of Evil Geniuses, whereas Fnatic, Infamous, Royal Never Give Up, and Virtus.pro all have 5 points apiece.
The International 2019 takes place on August 15-25, 2019. Catch all the action on Twitch and Youtube and stay tuned to Esports by Inquirer.net for more coverage on The International 2019!
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