There's still one day left in the group stage of The International 2022. However, fans of Dota 2 Evil Geniuses have something to celebrate this early in the tournament. They're the first team to secure a spot in the Upper Bracket of the playoffs. That means they're guaranteed at least a 9th-12th place finish.
Indeed, it's a good result for a team that a lot of people didn't see as a top contender for this year's TI. Then again, not surprising if you look at their performance during the regular DPC season. They took first place during Tour 2 and Tour 3 in North America but didn't perform as expected in both the Stockholm Major and Arlington Major. Fortunately, EG obtained enough DPC points to get a direct invite.
Bleed Blue
Not going through the Regional Qualifiers and the succeeding Last Chance Qualifier may have given EG the time to find its rhythm and when the group stage started; it showed. Day 1 of the group stage had EG beating the likes of Soniqs, OG, and PSG.LGD 2-0. There was even a running joke in the community that maybe it was because Abed "Abed" Yusop didn't get to play Storm Spirit.
On Day 2, EG got off to a bad start and was defeated by Team Liquid 0-2. However, that didn't seem to down the team's spirits as EG went on to beat Hokori 2-0. Then on Day 3, the team started strong by winning against BetBoom 2-0. It was when they won against Gaimin Gladiators 2-0 that it became clear they were indeed headed to the Upper Bracket of the playoffs.
Their final game for Day 3 was against Royal Never Give Up and the 2-0 just solidified their position in the Upper Bracket. EG’s final match is against Boom Esports.
Returning to the Top
PSG.LGD was considered as the top contender but didn’t do so well Day 1. However, they had a strong comeback by winning four straight games. Their last match for Day 3 was against Gaimin Gladiators, which ended 1-1. If they won that match, they would have secured a spot as well in the Upper Bracket.
A Surprise Performance
The team that probably surprised a lot of fans is South America's Hokori. While their performance can't be described as strong, it was consistent. They've won against RNG and Soniqs 2-0 but lost to EG 0-2. However, the rest of their matches have been 1-1 and they're now tied with RNG. Their last match is crucial and it's against Liquid. If they can at least manage a tie, they may get an Upper Bracket placement.
What's your favorite match of the group stage so far? Dota 2 is available on PC.
