OG finds another victory in PGL Wallachia Season 6
After the start of the second day of the Swiss leg of the 6th season of the PGL Wallachia, the tournament was once again divided into two completely different streams, A and B. Sixteen teams continued to battle it out in the modified Swiss system, but today the gap between intense duels and stomping became even more evident.
PGL Wallachia Season 6 Steam A
Stream A was undoubtedly the place to see competitive and intense Dota bouts, and lots of them. The stream's only 2-0 came in the duel between BetBoom and Natus Vincere, but even that series showed solid play from both sides.
Team Liquid started the series against Xtreme Gaming in dominant fashion, finishing the first game in just over 25 minutes. But Xtreme responded with a much more cohesive design in the second game, relying on heavy minus armor that Liquid had difficulty sustaining. Before the decisive game, it looked like Xtreme was going to repeat a familiar pattern: fall in the first game, rally in the second, and fall again once they had found their footing. But Liquid soon closed that door. The third game seemed a slower, more restrained version of the first, controlled and in Liquid's hands.
Another match of note was MOUZ versus Team Spirit. MidOne, who returned after the break, continues to impress: he was the standout player in the first game and got MOUZ off to a good start. However, Team Spirit overcame Huskar's strategy with a clever line adjustment: he moved Queen of Pain to Safelane and countered Sniper's mid. This allowed Larl to perform flawlessly and tie the series. The deciding game was much less dramatic, Spirit maintained total control from the horn to the elders.
Read: Interview with MidOne: "I hadn't played in a while, and people kind of forgot about me."
Still, perhaps the most exciting series of the day was OG vs. Tundra. Despite Tundra opening with a kicker from Kez, OG looked more than ready for it in the first game and had one of the cleanest performances of the event. The second game looked just as promising for OG - Natsumi seemed to be in complete control - until a death turned the tables in Tundra's favor. This time, Kez's choice brought exactly what Tundra needed, and they effortlessly pulled ahead. As has become the norm in the A stream, the series again lasted all three games. Once again, Natsumi had a good game, being a key factor in OG moving even closer to the PGL Wallachia Season 6 playoffs.
Stream B of PGL Wallachia Season 6
If in Stream A fans were expecting fireworks, in Stream B the series went to the death. All four games resulted in 2-0 victories.
HEROIC, who were expected to be one of the event's fiercest competitors after winning the title in FISSURE Universe: Episode 7 and placing 3-4th in BLAST Slam IV, came into the second day out of sorts after yesterday's loss to Natus Vincere. But they soon stabilized. Their 2-0 win against Roar Gaming wasn't flashy, but it was steady, a necessary reset for a team still aiming for a deep win.
Read: Kaffs interview: "We are doing something different, something that has never been done before in South America"
The most notable result was GamerLegion's victory over Nigma Galaxy. GamerLegion came prepared: stronger selections, clearer game plans and more coordinated execution. Nigma, on the other hand, seemed uncoordinated: drafts lacked synergy and in-game decision making never found its rhythm.
The first two rounds of the Swiss group format have officially concluded. This means that the stakes and tension start to rise on the third day. Ultimately, the top eight teams will fly out.
Format of the group stage of the 6th PGL Wallachia season
November 15 - November 19
- A modified 16-team Swiss system.
- All matches are Bo3
- The top eight teams advance to the playoffs.
- The remaining teams are eliminated.
Action resumes tomorrow, Monday, November 17 at 09:00 CET, when PARIVISION takes on Team Tidebound and Xtreme Gaming takes on MOUZ.