The Eastern Europe Dota 2’s powerhouse, Team Spirit, continued their impressive form with a remarkable victory over the West Europe region’s new sensation, Gaimin Gladiators, in the grand finals of The International 12 in Seattle, United States of America, this morning.
The 2023 competitive season turned out to be a redemptive journey for the sleeping giants, particularly for their ace, Ilya “Yatoro” Mulyarchuk. After their triumph at TI in 2021, the team experienced a significant decline in performance, leading to criticism of Yatoro’s role in the team. However, their performance saw a notable upswing after the July 2023 Major in Bali, culminating in championship victories at prestigious events like Riyadh Masters 2023 and Dreamleague Season 21.
Meanwhile, Gaimin Gladiators, their opponents, had garnered attention with consecutive victories in every Major event in 2023. However, their performance outside of the DPC and Majors indicated stagnation, posing a significant challenge against opponents capable of balancing offense and defense.
The game one saw both teams deviated from their usual strategies and opted for more unconventional draft picks. Spirit secured the second Beastmaster pick of the main event, while Gaimin Gladiators opted for a Gyrocopter.
In no time, Yatoro shined with his Weaver as he claimed six kills in the early game with aggressive tactics. Notably, Spirit prioritized shutting down GG’s Marcus “Ace” Christensen, whose Lone Druid had been pivotal during their dominant lower bracket journey, with just one loss before the grand final.
Solid rotations from Spirit’s support duo, Yaroslav “Miposhka” Naidenov and Myroslav “Mira” Kolpakov, playing Treant Protector and Tusk, respectively, played a significant role. The former proved to be a significant nuisance to GG as his Treant provided strategic advantages to his team in mobility.
Eventually, GG managed to acquire essential core items for Anton “dyrachyo” Shkredov’s Gyrocopter and Quinn “Quinn” Callahan’s Pangolier, obtaining Aghanim’s Scepter. However, their efforts were rendered futile as Yatoro effectively blocked any late-game attempts, ultimately securing the win for Team Spirit in the initial game.
In the second game, Spirit opted for greedier core picks, selecting Magnus and Faceless Void. With the game unfolding at a slower tempo, both teams found themselves evenly balanced, centering their efforts around securing Roshan and the valuable Aegis advantage. However, Spirit disengaged from the fight, swiftly countering Gaimin’s ill-fated move with exceptional mechanics.
Temporarily, Erik “tOfu” Engel provided GG with a minor edge as his Muerta succeeded in taking down Yatoro’s Faceless Void, initiating an endeavor to eliminate the remaining opposition in the upper section of the map. However, their efforts were not swift enough, as Yatoro promptly reversed the situation upon respawning. Team Spirit swiftly capitalized on the opportunity, swiftly clearing their lanes and advancing all the way to the Gladiators’ base, with Yatoro once again shone in this game, leading his team to secure a match point.
In the deciding game, both teams opted for the dominant picks that had ruled TI 12. Spirit chose CK, Grimstroke, Tusk, and Spirit Breaker, while Gaimin focused on Meurta. Gaimin initially had the upper hand in the mid game and seemed poised to secure a win against Spirit by the 20-minute mark.
However, Spirit’s Spirit Breaker eventually turned the tide, leading Spirit to claim their third map win and ultimately the TI championship. GG found themselves struggling and before they realized it, Spirit had already seized their territory, pushing all the way to secure the final game and the championship victory.
With this impressive victory, Spirit will take home the grand prize of USD $1,415,000, igniting their drive to extend their winning streak into the upcoming ESL championship in December and the subsequent 2024 competitive season. In this process, Yatoro has now joined the ranks of renowned players such as Johan “N0tail” Sundstein, Topias “Topson” Taavitsainen, and Anathan “ana” Pham, all of whom have secured the championship title twice.
