This article is sponsored by DJ Esports.
Virtus.pro had a very solid showing during the group stage at The International 10, finishing second in Group A with an 11-5 record and earning a top seed in the upper bracket of the event’s main stage.
During that group stage run, VP defeated Evil Geniuses, Alliance, and Team Aster, while also splitting their series with OG and showing that the young roster was more than capable of contending with players who have attended numerous TIs in the past.
Unlike the upstarts that many analysts thought could potentially flame out, Vici Gaming has performed at or above early expectations at TI. Pushing a mix of their usual conservative and well-paced style, VG has tried to implement a more proactive and aggressive tempo in the early game.
Using this altered approach, the Chinese squad finished third in Group B, only placing behind PSG.LGD and Team Secret, the two teams that managed to sweep their matchups in the group stage.
DJ Esports’ data shows that VP’s core strength score ranks at an impressive 1,892 points, putting them as the third-most powerful team in the world.
By comparison, VG is ranked ninth in the global power rankings with a strength score of 1,782. Although they’ve made several positive changes lately, their 50 percent win rate indicates that they still have room for improvement, especially if they hope to match the intensity of VP in a best-of-three.
VP has an excellent First Blood and first to ten kills rate. According to DJ Esports’ data, VP’s First Blood rate is a whopping 72 percent and their ten-kill rate is 64 percent, largely because VP often tries to gain an early lead on kills and uses this lead to apply even more pressure. Expect VP to follow this trend in any matches they play on the TI main stage.
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VG and VP have a nearly identical First Roshan rate at 44 percent. This shows that, although VG’s style has changed recently, their conservative style of play is deeply rooted. They often give priority to winning the first Roshan to ensure more chances of victory in frontal teamfights. In addition, DJ Esports’ data and odds show VG claiming the first Roshan is a much safer bet.
During recent drafts, it’s clear that both teams prefer heroes with high control and explosiveness that can fit into their preferred aggressive, yet paced approach to games. These two teams are better at opening up the game at their own speed, so it’s reasonable to assume that the games should be quite intense, and the total number of kills is likely to be quite high.
With VP’s fast attack and VG’s solid defense, this is sure to be a fierce and kill-heavy battle. Considering the odds, taking the kill count to be higher than 47.5 isn’t a bad move. The outcome will likely depend on whether or not VP can secure an early lead and exploit that throughout the mid and late game.
For more odds on this match and any other games featured at The International 10, you can view them on DJ Esports.
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