Team Aster Fails to Beat the Russian Pandas 

Staff Aster fails to safe a win towards 9Pandas on the Bali main’s knockout spherical.

After a grueling and tide-shifting BO3 sequence, 9 Pandas keep undefeated towards Staff Aster and secures their keep on the Bali Majors. Defeated within the knockout rounds, Aster has a lot to replicate on as their shine slowly dimmed with the sequence’ development, exhibiting indicators of a scarcity of consistency. 

9Pandas’s Dota 2 group includes a few of the finest Russian Dota 2 gamers within the scene, coming in as considerably of an all-star squad comprising RAMZES666, kiyotaka, MieRo, Antares and Solo (captain). Though freshly fashioned this April 17, 2023, below the steering of coach Vladimir ‘RodjER’ Nikogosian, they carried out effectively within the DPC EEU 2023 Tour 3 and ESL One Berlin Main 2023, coming in 3rd in each tournaments. 

For the facet of Staff Aster, with the current addition of the child-star Suma1L on Might 8, 2023, the Chinese language group got here in with weapons blazing and two aims in thoughts, to safe their keep on the Bali Main and eventually get their victory over 9Pandas! Having performed three units of video games towards the Russian Pandas, that they had drawn twice and misplaced to them as soon as. The time for redemption was right here, and Aster headed into the BO3 sequence, hoping to interrupt the curse to no avail. 

【Match Announcement】
► 2023 Bali Main Group Stage
► July sixth : Aster VS 9pandas @9pandasgg
09:15 PM （Beijing Time）
09:15 AM （EST）
03:15 PM (CEST)

We fall from higher bracket and we might be combating our approach within the decrease bracket . Let’s hope the group can… pic.twitter.com/X39DoSHxVY

— Staff Aster (@CN_TeamAster) July 6, 2023

Sport 1 was a legendary sport filled with aggression, with a complete of 48 kills in 42 minutes. The tides slowly shifted Staff Aster into the lead, because the pushes with Xxs’s Visage and the wonderful begin for Suma1L’s Ember Spirit slowly transitioned to a 22-minute mid lane melee barracks downed for 9Pandas. Monet’s Drow Ranger domination was evident over the mid to late sport, as he picked up kills because of cautious scouting by Visage’s Familiars and Pi qui’s Clockwerk’s Rocket Flares. The deal was sealed when Monet’s Drow critically hit Kiyotaka’s well-known Storm Spirit, inflicting round deadly 1,800 burst injury. The Chinese language Pandas misplaced the teamfight, which transitioned to a remaining push ending the sport with the Suma1L and Staff Aster because the victors.

Sport 2 began with a draft favoring Aster, as all 9Pandas Heroes have been squishy and simple targets for Monet’s Drow, Sumail’s Ember Spirit and Xxs’s Doom. The sport began decently of their favor, with RAMZES666’s Alchemist having a tough lane towards Xxs and Boboka’s Techies. However because the mid sport approached, Alchemist managed to choose up his farm and even made impactful rotations, resulting in the deaths of the 9Panda’s overextending Heroes. Slowly however absolutely, the sport swung immensely in favor of the Pandas, with the ultimate few teamfights leaving heavy casualties on Staff Aster’s facet because of Refresher Black Holes from Miero’s Enigma and Refresher AOE (Space of Impact) Electrical Vortexes from Kiyotaka’s signature Storm Spirit. The lockdowns have been an excessive amount of for the already-crumbling Chinese language protection, and shortly sufficient, they have been pressured to go right into a sport three by the relentless Russian Pandas. 

Sport 3 was drafted with 9Pandas having a tacky lineup, particularly with Miero on Axe and Antares on Skywrath Mage. Staff Aster’s lineup was very depending on Boboka’s Enchantress and Pi qiu’s Rubick making good rotations and having full management of the early sport. Monet’s Slark additionally wanted to have early sport. However, the tacky combos have been far too highly effective for the Chinese language Squad, they usually had problem surviving the laborious ganks from the CIS Pandas. Following an 8 minutes 22 seconds Midas on RAMZES666’s Terrorblade and a few horrible fights for Staff Aster spelled sure doom. Quickly, the Pandas began to chip away on the Aster’s protection, selecting off the enemy cores and pushing excessive floor cautiously. In the long run, after one final smoke gank, the Chinese language squad threw within the towel, accepting they might not have the ability to finest the Russians.

Aster 1:2 9pandas @9pandasgg
We’re sorry we let the followers down. We finish our Bali journey right now. And fail to secured a direct invite for Ti.
Good sport effectively performed from 9pandas. pic.twitter.com/ZbvgU9ENEI

— Staff Aster (@CN_TeamAster) July 6, 2023

Will this curse ever be lifted, or will Staff Aster at all times fall prey to 9Panda’s deathly maws? Solely time and one other sensible sequence of Dota will inform.