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We're slowly rolling into the new Dota 2 competitive season with the Pinnacle: 25 Year Anniversary Show, where $100,000 is up for grabs. There are 20 teams competing for the very substantial prize pool.
Among the contenders for the Pinnacle Cup: 25 Year Anniversary Show is not a lot of top teams, but there are a few worthy clubs. Among them are definitely place NaVi and Falcons.
We'll talk about this match in more detail, because here we will play the favourite not just to make it to the play-offs, but to win in general. And we are not talking about NaVi.
We're trying to figure out which team will be stronger and earn an important win in the Pinnacle group stage: 25 Year Anniversary Show.
Let's go.
Falcons form
Let's open our match analysis with an analysis of the Falcons' form. In this match they will be playing first choice, although the spread between the odds shouldn't be too impressive.
In case anyone is not aware, Falcons are a Saudi club that is preparing to conquer esports as a whole. The process is still underway, but even this Dota roster is already hinting at plans to stay here for a long time.
In general, the tag is not new, but they were not able to achieve special fame. All they did was to play at the local Saudi eLeague. They played there in 2020, with TOP-6 and in 2021, with TOP-3 and TOP-1 respectively.
After a pause of a year, decided to return to the professional scene after Valve cancelled the DPC system. Breaking in with a leg.
- Falcons roster: skiter, Malr1ne, ATF, Cr1t, Sneyking .
The roster was assembled according to the "golden roster" principle. We managed to get two players from Tundra Esports, and at the same time champions of The International 2023 Skiter and Sneyking, Cr1t, who previously played for Shopify Rebellion and previously for EG, ATF, who showed a good performance last season in PSG Quest and before that in Nigma with OG, and closed everything with a promising mid laner Marl1ne.
In the MENA region, where Falcons are based, this squad has no competition even at the skilla level. As it happens, the Falcons have already clinched their ticket to Kuala Lumpur 2023.
First, they passed the open qualification without any difficulty, and then, again without much trouble, slammed the closed part of the qualifiers. In the final, by the way, they beat PSG Quest by a score of 3-1. What one and two are doing in the MENA region is not entirely clear, but come on.
The most popular Falcons heroes
Io (6 matches, 66% wins), Death Prophet (5 matches, 60% wins), Chen (5 matches, 60% wins), Dawnbreaker (4 matches, 75% wins), Earth Spirit (4 matches, 75% wins) appeared most often in spades.
NaVi Form
We continue our match review with an analysis of NaVi's match form. In this match, they are playing as the number two with a small gap.
"Born to Win" have not lived up to their name for quite some time. There are no victories to be seen, and no stability.
The year of 2022, when NaVi flashed at major championships, is not bad. Back then, "Born to Win" played in the top division of Eastern Europe. Then there was TOP-5 at DPC 2021/2022 Tour 1: Division 1, TOP-6 at D2CL Season 7 and TOP-6 at DPC EEU 2021/2022 Tour 2: Division 1 Playoffs.
The main achievement was Top 2 at DPC EEU 2021/2022 Tour 3: Division 1. Thanks to this it was possible to get to PGL Arlington Major 2022, the only Major in 2 years. And there Natus Vincere could not get into the play-offs of the tournament, not coming out of the group stage. As a result, they finished in the top 16 and went to the big Reshuffles.
- NaVi lineup: shigetsu, mellojul, nefrit, W_Zayac, Malady .
In general, before Long Sogpeg Pinnacle: 25 Year Anniversary Show, and the whole year, NaVi was played by daze. But, after poor results, he was demoted to the academic squad.
In the new year, NaVi failed twice in the DPC league. And in the first season they took the top 8, before buying the Puck Champ slot and flying to the top 7, leaving the top league.
During the breaks were Pinnacle Cup: Malta Vibes #1. There they took the top 2, and then the top 8 at Pinnacle Cup: Malta Vibes #2.
In the middle of the year DPC EEU 2023 Tour 3: Division II. Won all matches there with no problems, finishing the league with a 7-0 record.
Before Pinnacle: 25 Year Anniversary Show NaVi played at The International 2023 - Eastern Europe Qualifier, Malta Vibes #3 and Qualifiers at Kuala Lumpur 2023. As a result - 2 Top 3 and Top 6 at the qualifiers for the first major tournament of the year.
Most popular NaVi heroes
Rubick appeared most often in the picks - 6 matches, 50% wins. Keeper of The Light, Storm Spirit (5 matches each, 80% wins) also appeared in the picks.
There was Monkey King, Underlord, Terrorblade, Pugna (4 matches each, 75% wins).
History of head-to-head meetings between NaVi and Falcons.
Previously the teams have not played each other in official matches. This match will be the debut in the history of the clubs.
Predicted result of NaVi vs Falcons on Pinnacle: 25 Year Anniversary Show
I don't expect any kind of fight in this match. It may seem that NaVi are capable of winning, as they are a team, but in reality, there is only a tag from the team. The Falcons are going to get run over.
Bottom line: 2-0 in favour of Falcons.