Top teams took to arms in two upper bracket series at MDL Disneyland Paris Major and it was Team Secret and EG that prevailed in the end.
MDL Disneyland Paris Major is inching along towards the final days. And although top teams that are have been or are sure to be granted a TI9 invite are battling it out, the games are no less intense than if they all had higher stakes on the line. It is just a testament to the level of Dota 2 they play.
Team Secret has looked the strongest this season than perhaps any other. With an outstanding track record all year and dominating presence, the European team went head to head with the TI8 champions, OG. In two absolutely abysmal games for OG, Team Secret unleashed a fury on them like none other. The first game witnessed a monster of a Juggernaut played by Michal ‘Nisha’ Jankowski with a 20-0-18 record at the end, followed Yeik ‘MidOne’ Nai Zheng beast of a Monkey King who went 20-0-14.
Team Secret's victory assured them a top 3 placement at the event, while OG will need square off against Team Liquid in the lower brackets.
Ninjas in Pyjamas are hot off a win at OGA Dota PIT Minor and a marathon of games played between the two events. The Swedish based team is clearly looking to repeat ViCi Gaming's feat of taking a Minor and then Major title, and in the process secured their TI9 invite. However, faced against Evil Geniuses, who are also in their best form in years, NiP was unable to hold on to the high road - their only win was flanked by two losses that they most likely believed were their wins both times. In a full 60 minute battle, NiP was leading most of the game but two back to back bad team fights about 43 minutes in would turn things around in favor for EG that easily capitalized on their opening and were heavily armed to do so with a brilliant performance by Syed Sumail "SumaiL" Hassan on Morphling with a 19:0:7 record. The third game that NiP lost control of happened about 39 minutes in when they lost it all to EG only 3 minutes later -again with a spotlight on SumaiL's Leschrac.
NiP still have a shot but will have to outplay and outlast PSG.LGD in the lower brackets. Evil Geniuses are given a top 3 finish at the very least.
The action continues today, May 11th with three more eliminations and one grand finalist.
MDL Disneyland Paris Major Format
- Group Stage - May 4th - May 5th
- Sixteen teams are divided into four GSL groups of four teams each
- The top two teams advance to the upper bracket of the playoffs
- The bottom two teams advance to the lower bracket of the playoffs
- All games are Bo3
- Playoffs - May 6th - May 12th
- Sixteen teams play in a double-elimination format, with the final four days being in front of a live crowd
- Eight teams begin in the upper bracket, eight in the lower bracket
- All games except Grand Finals and Lower Bracket Round 1 are Bo3
- Lower Bracket Round 1 are Bo1
- Grand Finals is Bo5
MDL Disneyland Paris Major Prize Pool Distribution:
The total prize pool for the event is $1,000,000 split between all 16 teams. In addition to the handsome financial reward, teams will be awarded DPC points as well.
1st place: $TBD + 4,950 DPC points
2nd place: $TBD + 3,000 DPC points
3rd place: $TBD + 2,100 DPC points
4th place: $TBD + 1,350 DPC points
5-6th place: $TBD + 900 DPC points
7-8th place: $TBD + 450 DPC points - Virtus Pro/Vici Gaming
9-12th place: $TBD + 150 DPC points - paiN gaming/Mineski /compLexity Gaming/Keen Gaming
13-16th place: $TBD + 75 DPC points - beastcoast/Team Empire/Chaos E.C /Fnatic
