In a striking instance of déjà vu, Talon Esports valiantly rallied and emerged victorious over Gaimin Gladiators in their pursuit of securing an upper bracket position in the playoffs of Dota 2 The International 12. The Southeast Asia’s pride continues to elevate their game, displaying marked improvements during the latter stages of the group stage matches.
Prior to yesterday’s showdown, GG was heavily favored to ascend to the upper bracket, buoyed by their impressive track record and commendable performance in the group stage. Despite a hiccup against LGD Gaming in their initial group stage encounter, they did well in subsequent matches to advance to the next round.
On the other hand, Talon was on the brink of an early elimination after suffering consecutive defeats at the hands of Tundra Esports and TSM on the opening day. However, brilliant tactics employed by Rafli “Mikoto” Rahman and Nuengara “23savage” Teeramahanon uplifted the team’s spirits, leading to a clean sweep against Keyd Stars and PSG Quest on the following day, securing them enough points to advance as well.
In the first game of the best-of-three, the Western Europe’s behemoth optimised their drafts and efficiently breached Talon’s defenses, capitalizing on the prowess of Quinn “Quinn” Callahan to outmaneuver their opponents and clinch victory after 40 intense minutes.
Unfazed by the setback, Talon intensified their efforts in game two. Through 23savage’s exceptional play, they pulled an astounding comeback that left spectators in awe while consistently neutralizing high-priority target such as Anton “dyrachyo” Shkredov’s Phantom Assassin in team fights.
Attempting to bridge the gap, dyrachyo opted for a buyback but ultimately backfired as he found himself isolated by Talon’s players, eventually succumbing to their onslaught. Talon then aggressively pushed forward and securing victory after an intense 64-minute game.
In the deciding third game, GG was able to lead in the early game with the remarkable performance of Marcus “Ace” Christensen’s Spirit Breaker. Nevertheless, the ongoing danger that 23savage’s Morphling brought about became too difficult to overcome despite the disparity in their net worth. The young Thai player showed another outstanding performance, causing chaos from mid game onward, ultimately guiding Talon to a 31-22 lead in kills and securing the ultimate triumph.
As things stand, Talon will advance to the upper bracket spot in The International 12 playoffs, continuing their journey on October 20th. Notably, this marks their second impressive triumph over GG, having previously defeated them in the Riyadh Masters 2023 several months ago.
