Team Spirit Continues Dominance in Lower Bracket with Victory over Virtus Pro
Team Spirit showcased their unstoppable power in the lower bracket of The International 10 with a remarkable win against their Eastern European rival, Virtus Pro. This victory is especially significant as it marks Spirit’s first win over VP since signing the Yellow Submarines stack last December. In fact, it is only the second time in the organization’s history that they have defeated VP.
The matchup between Team Spirit and VP was highly competitive throughout, unlike the Vici Gaming and T1 series where the Chinese Dota 2 team gradually took control over the course of three games. Despite some of the matches in the Spirit vs. VP showdown having one team leading for most of the games, the battle remained intense.
One notable factor contributing to Spirit’s success was the superb coordination between TORONTOTOKYO’s Invoker and Yatoro’s Monkey King. Their excellent coordination, combined with hero mobility and various initiation options, allowed Spirit to dictate the pace of the games. Spirit even encouraged VP to engage in fights, even when they might have been at a disadvantage. Spirit’s strategy involved targeting gpk and removing his Kunkka from the equation, resulting in their victory in these engagements.
The second game witnessed a complete reversal of fortunes, with VP taking command thanks to Nightfall’s exceptional performance on Ursa. Nightfall’s Ursa managed to rack up an impressive 19 kills, 2 deaths, and 6 assists, dealing nearly 34,000 hero damage.
Although VP maintained a net worth advantage of over 40,000 gold, they never felt entirely secure in their lead. They cautiously played the game, avoiding overextension during high ground pushes. VP’s approach reflected their wariness of potential misplays that could allow Spirit to turn the tables.
The third game between the two teams turned into a bloodbath, satisfying the expectations of the fans. The early stages saw both teams exchanging leads multiple times within the first 30 minutes. After Spirit gained an edge, neither team was willing to take excessive risks. It was only during the final push that VP suffered a wipeout, leading to Spirit’s ultimate victory.
It’s worth mentioning that this showdown was a clash between two CIS rivals, and the majority of the players from both teams were competing in their first TI event. Spirit, in particular, is one of the youngest competitive teams in the DPC. Their strong performance has given the CIS region its best placement since Na’Vi at TI3, securing at least fourth place in their inaugural TI.
For VP, this is their first TI with the current squad. Nevertheless, they have matched the previous team led by Solo’s record by securing a tie for sixth place in TI10.
Team Spirit, The International 10, lower bracket, victory, Eastern European rival, Virtus Pro, Yellow Submarines, coordination, hero mobility, initiation, dominating performance