Intense Rivalry Concludes at Bali Major as PSG.LGD Emerges Victorious

Intense Rivalry Concludes at Bali Major as PSG.LGD Emerges Victorious

Time Stamp: July 6, 2023 3:38 AM

PSG.LGD beats their TI 2021 rivals Spirit in a nail-biting best of three, knocking Spirit out of the Bali 2023 Majors

The Dota 2 esports community was treated to a breathtaking showdown as two long-standing rivals, Team Spirit and PSG.LGD clashed fiercely in the Bali Major 2023. With a furious display of dominance, LGD took the third game from Spirit, securing their stay in the Bali Major and kicking Team Spirit out of the knockout rounds. Although TS is out of the Bali Major, they will surely go to The Internationals 12. 

The series displayed PSG’s preparedness and Spirit’s weaknesses as both teams fought tooth and nail for every advantage. The tension as fans watched one was palpable, as Spirit fans prayed for their TI champions to shift back the momentum in their favor in vain. 

Game 1 looked to show the Europeans as the dominant ones, ruling over their Chinese rivals with skillful efficiency, with Larl’s Ember Spirit and YatoroGOD’s Bloodseeker ending with impressive K/D/A scores of 7/0/17 and 16/1/10, respectively. By 42 minutes into the game, Spirit had a whopping 30k lead in networth over LGD. 

Game 2 looked uneventful for the first 17 minutes, with the networth for both teams being nearly equal. That was not the case, as NothingToSay’s Huskar and WhyyouSmi1Le’s Undying took the initiative and secured much-needed teamfight victories for PSG. Shiro’s Naga also pushed out lanes and kept the pressure on Spirit, and with the two significant teamwipes by LGD, the networth had shifted uncontrollably to the aggressors and soon enough, the Europeans had to call “GG”. 

Game 3 looked to be an upset for the Team Spirit from the start, as niu’s Timbersaw went online near the 14-minute mark and broke the spirit of TS early on. The snowball continued into the 41-minute mark, ending with a decisive victory for PSG.LGD, knocking out their rival who had denied them many two major first-place finishes. 

PSG.LGD had been upset many times by Team Spirit, with their highest profile loss being to the latter in the TI 10 grand finals. After a convincing 0-2 lead for PSG.LGD, the European underdogs took the reins and through a complete reverse sweep, beat PSG 3-2. 

Furthermore, in the Arlington Major, the Chinese team was again face-to-face with the Europeans early in the tournament, where LGD had been dominant. Then again, when the two rivals met in the Grand Finals, Spirit rolled over PSG with a 3-0 straight win, including a hectic game 2, considered one of the year’s best matches.  

These two outcomes were especially heartbreaking for LGD because when the two rivals had a clash at the Riyadh Masters 2022, the Chinese team had easily defeated Spirit and claimed the championship with relative ease. 

Nonetheless, the outcome of the Bali Major changed the fate of PSG because after losing game 1 to Spirit, they were the ones to come back with two straight wins and knockout their rivals. 

With the curtains drawn on this unforgettable encounter, the Dota 2 community eagerly awaits the next chapter in the riveting rivalry between Team Spirit and PSG.LGD is fueled by the anticipation of future battles that will undoubtedly captivate the world of esports once again. They may face off once again in TI 12, taking their rivalry to the next level.

Time Stamp:

More from Esports News Network