Team Liquid eliminate OG to reach BLAST Slam VI grand finals

Team Liquid delivered a commanding series performance against OG, capitalizing on momentum from their marathon quarterfinal win to secure a decisive upper-bracket final victory and a spot in the BLAST Slam VI grand finals. Despite OG’s strong group-stage showing, Liquid controlled the pace of the series from the opening minutes.

After finishing at the top of the group stage, OG entered the semifinals with expectations of another deep playoff run, but Team Liquid arrived sharpened by their five-game battle against Falcons and immediately dictated the tempo of the series.

• Read Team Liquid and Team Falcons go the full distance in the first series of the BLAST Slam VI playoffs

Game 1

Both teams are known for fast, aggressive Dota, but Liquid’s draft provided superior teamfight control from the start. Michal “Nisha” Jankowski secured Puck — one of his signature heroes and an ideal pick for the matchup — allowing Liquid to dominate skirmishes and quickly transition into map control. OG’s burst-oriented lineup struggled to convert early lane advantages into meaningful fights, and once momentum shifted around the 20-minute mark, Liquid snowballed the game to a clean 24-minute victory.

Game 2

Liquid doubled down on confidence, running the same lineup that secured their deciding win against Falcons the day before. OG slowed the early tempo effectively, targeting support pickoffs and delaying key item timings, but their last-pick Timbersaw struggled to provide the stability needed in extended engagements. Even after OG executed a perfectly coordinated teamfight to briefly regain control, Liquid adjusted quickly and closed the game out, taking a commanding 2–0 series lead.

• Read tOfu interview at BLAST Slam VI: “We have made a lot of progress over time”

Game 3

With elimination looming, OG leaned into a comfort-heavy draft and committed fully to chaotic late-game execution — and the result was one of the wildest matches of the tournament. The game spiraled into an 80-plus-minute marathon featuring Divine Rapier swings, including a pivotal moment where OG’s Gyrocopter lost the Rapier to Michael “miCKe” Vu’s Nature’s Prophet, dramatically shifting the balance of power.

Despite the setback, OG refused to collapse, dragging the match into a mega creeps versus mega creeps stalemate and defending their Ancient for nearly 40 minutes while delivering a relentless late-game showcase. Ultimately, Liquid sustained pressure and finally broke through after more than 83 minutes, closing out a nail-biting Game 3 and sealing the series — though not before OG pushed them to the limit in one of the most thrilling games of BLAST Slam VI so far.

• Read Skem interview at BLAST Slam VI: “I think that whole mentality of the ‘old’ OG really fits this roster”

Team Liquid’s victory sends them to the BLAST Slam VI grand finals, where they will look to convert their playoff momentum into a title run, while OG’s campaign ends earlier than their dominant group-stage performance had suggested, but at least better than their 5-6th placements as of late.

The action continues with another best-of-five semi finals between NAVI and Team Yandex up next.