Day 2 of the Sina Cup sees the winners of the best-of-three matchups teams DK and Invictus Gaming progress into the semi finals of the winner's bracket, where they will face each other on the 4th of March, at 11:00 CET.
Team CIS made headlines just a few days ago when they upset team NewBee's in their debut game by knocking them out of the Sina Cup qualifiers. NewBee, which consists of ZSMJ, xiao8, Hao, Mu, and KingJ, were defeated by Team CIS which picked Mirana, Wraith King, and Sniper against them. No less an impressive feat, they have lost against Team DK, as their lucky streak has come to an end.
Team DK is the hot favourite in this tournament, famous for their aggressive playstyle and 'out of the box' drafting, as well as versatility that keeps fans entertained. When other Chinese teams come up against Team DK, it will not be your stereotypical farmfest but rather, a battle of attrition.
Game 1: iG vs CNB.Cn
Making his re-debut into Invictus Gaming after the Chines , ChuaN has dispelled all rumous of taking over Ferrari_430's role of solo mid, as he immediately went to his signature role 5 enchantress. As the game draft progressed, the viewers were in for a treat, as Ferrari, aka 'The Pianist' was given his signature hero, Invoker. Going up mid against CNB's Storm Spirit, it was a walk in the part for the Invoker as solo mid, with occasional ganks made by the supports. Meanwhile however, bottom lane saw CNB's Leshrac, Sven, and Sand King trilane take out the Brewmaster twice, with a Storm Bolt - Burrow Strike - Split Earth Combination, with an early first blood sealing the lane.
Time went on, and the Quas - Wex Invoker was able to free farm up a Force Staff and a Drums, giving him extra mobility. Proving important, his Tornado into EMP and Cold Snap was able to find multiple pick offs during ganks, especially on the mana dependant Storm Spirit. A mention goes out the to CNB's Sand King, which was the third SK in 5 games to jungle in the early - mid game with his sandstorm. A shift to the new meta game perhaps could see the hero being more viable, especially with the consistent buffs to his sandstorm and the mana cost removal on Blink Dagger.
It was iG being the more experienced team, and determining the name of the game as they made back and forth clashes with each other. Scoring more kills, more towers, and more gold, the Invoker was able to get his needed levels and steamroll across the map. A deadly combo of EMP and Tornado during teamfights depleted the mana dependent Sven, Sand King, Timbersaw and Storm Spirit, and as they retreated with no mana, were picked off one by one. On the 18 minute mark, Invoker was able to secure an ultra kill against CNB, and things could not get worse for them. Following that, an attempted gank on Invoker by Storm Spirit actually saw the Storm Spirit getting c    enced by Invoker's Orchid before he could cast Electric Vortex, following a Ball Lightning initiate. Not wanting to prolong their misery, CNB called the 'GG' soon after.
Game 2: iG vs CNB.Cn
Game 2 begins seemed to begin normally, until CNB surprise picks an Ember Spirit. Set against the growing popularity of Ancient Apparition in this tournament (which is picked up by Invictus Gaming), it's a battle of fire and ice in the match. A first blood attempt was seen by iG early in the game, with smoked up supports Shadow Shaman and Ancient Apparition making their way to the middle lane only to be foiled by CNB, whose two other supports teleported in to score a counter first blood gank.
Once again we see the return of the jungling Sand King, picked up by CBN again, and as the Sand King makes his way through a few ganks, it was evident that his lack of mobility and the predictability of the pick was a liability. As the game progressed into the middle phase, the Ember Spirit was at the peak of his efficiency, managing to 'fist down' the supports of iG. Following that, iG invested just about all their heroes to gank him, failing miserably due to his Flame Guard, which absorbed the brunt of the magical damage. Juking brilliantly, he managed to waste the time of iG, whilst creating space for his teamates in the other lanes.
Frustrated with the failed pick off, iG then tried to fight CNB near CNB's middle tier two tower at the 16 minute mark, which proved a huge mistake. A turnaround with the Sand King managing to pull of a Burrow Strike - Epicentre combination, CNB wiped iG, but failed to capitalise on their advantage fully. Once again, as Ember Spirit was farming, iG attempted to gank him and was successful, taking the opportunity to push out the lanes. With Ancient Apparition's Ice Blast - Brewmaster's Thunder Clap combination into Shadow Shaman Ether Shock caused CNB's supports and even their Dragon Knight to melt almost instantaneously. Wearing down the lanes and killing the squishy Ember Spirit with physical damage proved too much for CNB, as they tap out and call the GG at 23 minutes.
Game 1: DK vs CIS
As game 1 between DK and CIS began, both teams met at the bottom lane; DK to secure their offlane, and CIS to secure their safe lane. However with the first offensive spell of the game, MMY's Nyx Assassin threw out a 4 man impale in the radiant jungle, allowing Mushi's Zeus to spam his arc lightning to great effect. As a result Magnus and Ursa had to return to the fountain with very low health, in addition to Zeus claiming the first blood on the Batrider.
6 minutes into the game, DK's supports of Nyx and Ancient Apparition were fed, with them having their core items up. Roaming and forcing tower pushes, they managed to claim a Tier one and Tier two tower within that short span of time. Gearing up to get a pick off, the Ancient Apparition and Nyx Assassin smoked up near the river, which was revealed by CIS' Wisp. However as CIS tried to counter initiate on DK, that was that was when DK's true potential showed, with the global ultimates skill combination of Ice Blast - Wrath of Nature - Thundergod's Wrath getting Zeus a triple kill.Â
Things looked bleak as the game progressed on with DK having a near 20 point kill lead on CIS, and were pushing down their tower and rax to much success. That was when an excellent Reverse Polarity into Skewer - Relocate sent two of DK's members into CIS' fountain, and straight to their deaths. However this was too little too late, as Zeus and Prophet proceeded to take down the rest of CIS' heroes, which forced out a 24 minute 'GG' from them.
Game 2: DK vs CIS
Game 2 begins with CIS taking an early level one Roshan, successfully claiming it without any interference from DK. As DK's enchantress played by LaNm goes to check Rosham, he gets scouted and subsequently blocked by Tuskar's Ice Shards, almost giving away the first blood to CIS. With the added bonus experience from taking down Roshan, CIS is able to control DK's Enchantress, Drow Ranger, and Visage defensive trilane. With the Ice Shard - Lucent Beam - Telekenetic Lift - Fade Bolt combination, CIS scores kills on DK's supports multiple times. Drow Ranger, played by BurNing dies on this lane multiple times as well, with the assistance of CIS' Natures Prophet who helps his supports secure the kill. Following that, they push the lane efficiently and quickly, taking down the Tier 1 and 2 bottom towers before the 7 minute mark.
As CIS' supports begin to roam with their solo mid Pudge, this time the Ice Shards - Telekinetic Lift - Meat Hook combo kills off any of DK's heroes that get trapped, scoring easy pick offs that slowly but surely tip the scales in their favour. With Iceiceice on the solo mid Quas - Wex Invoker, his spells proves not as useful due to CIS' sheer ability to keep going with their level and gold advantage. Even the Invoker manages to scores a few kills, the Tornado - EMP - Cold Snap ability chain is unable to pick off more than a single support. CIS then seizes their opportunity to take an uncontested Roshan 12 minutes into the game, solidifying their position in the game even further. As their supports roam more with the Pudge, DK has lost all semblance of map control as their heroes keep getting sniped one by one by them, with only the Invoker deterring their tower and rax pushes with his spells.Â
Knowing that the game was over, DK's MMY in good humour typed the Roshan time of death saying, "no need to thank me" to CIS. As DK's Tier 3 towers and base were breached, they called in the 'GG' as nothing could save them from defeat at that point.
Game 3: DK vs CIS
Picking up a Wraith King, CIS once again show that they stand out from other teams in terms of flexibility and unpredictability. Perhaps an emerging trend with their unusual picks, with Ursa in game 1, Pudge in game 2, and Wraith King in game 3 is an indicator that might intent to change the meta game by picking unconventional heroes. With the Wraith King pick up, CIS as a relatively unknown team was doing unusually well against DK, with them scoring the first blood against DK's Shadow Shaman. Maximising their burst damage output potential, CIS used a Wraithfire Blast into a Sunstrike combination for deadly effect.
Even as CIS has large amounts of burst damage potential, DK had their fair share of burst damage as well, which could be sustained with multiple mana boots and low cooldowns. Catching out CIS one by one, they took them out efficently and quickly thanks to the high physical damage output from the Templar Assassin, Shadow Shaman, and Pugna. Long drawn fights worked out well for DK as well, due to the Nether Ward and Nether Blast, which punished CIS heavily for casting spells, and mana degeneration. Shadow Shaman's serpernt wards worked well as they provided physical damage cover for DK, as well as adding to their already high pushing potential. With that combination, not just towers but heroes melted in seconds in the full fury of team DK's push.
In a particularly drawn out teamfight, June's Wraith King was being chased by the entire DK team, with the supports hot on his heels and his entire team dead. Eventually dying, a commendable effort goes to his excellent armlet toggling which managed to last him until he was between his Tier 2 towers. As CIS' supports respawn the moment they leave the cover of their base, are sniped off one by one by the Templar Assassin's Meld with Desolator, and Shadow Shaman's Ether Shock. A surprise pick off by DK almost always ensures a kill, and eventually only CIS' Wraith King and Invoker were left. Unable to defend, CIS calls the 'GG' soon after. Team DK is the fourth team to advance into the semi finals of the Sina Cup, and will face iG at 4th of March, at 11:00 CET.
