Прогноз на матч: Team Aster - Team Liquid | Dota 2

We continue to review The International 2022. Ahead of us is the match for reaching the TOP-3 of the tournament.

Team Liquid and Team Aster will play for the right to continue fighting in the main tournament of the year. I think there is no need to explain how principled and worthy in terms of rewards duel awaits us.

There can be no boring meetings in the TOP-4 of The International. I hope that such an axiom will remain so.

We figure out which of the teams is more worthy to play for reaching the grand final, and who will have to say goodbye to the tournament, taking 4th place.

Team Aster Uniform

Team Aster will play as a nominal favorite in this match. The chance of a Chinese club to win is estimated by bookmakers at odds of around 1.75.

Here, unlike the match between Team Secret and Tundra Esports, we see a bigger gap. However, you can’t call it critical, because, I repeat, the TOP-4 of The International does not forgive stupid things and the strongest come here.

Aster, of course, can claim such a status. The Chinese Grand is the most stable team of the four remaining.

Team Aster Performance

This competitive year, there are no global reasons to scold Aster. On the contrary, they are always in shape, as it seems after analyzing their game.

Over the year, the team took TOP-2 at DPC CN 2021/2022 Tour 1 - Upper Division, after which they finished third at DPC CN 2021/2022 Tour 2: Regional Final.

The result of the regional final was repeated in the second round of the DPC in China. The team again became the third, but now they took the second line of the podium already at the second regional final.

In the third round DPC Aster were, surprise, second. They went to PGL Arlington Major 2022, where they stopped at the final stage of the lower bracket (TOP-3).

Before The International 2022, the team participated in the commercial ESL One Malaysia, where they lost to OG in the final.

We got to The International 2022 Aster without surprises: 1610 DPC points and 5th place in the overall standings. The tournament itself is also held stably.

Team Aster at The International 2022

The International 2022 started for Team Aster from group B. Spirit, Tundra, Secret and other representatives of the world DotA became their rivals in the basket.

Aster had a hard time in the group stage. The team took the marginal 4th place, which nevertheless allowed it to get into the upper bracket of the playoffs.

Aster finished the group stage 3-4-2, losing two series against Secret and Fnatic. The second could become critical, because it took place at the end of the stage and could deprive the Chinese of a place at the top of the grid of the main stage.

The first opponents of Aster in the playoffs were the same Team Liquid, with whom they will now play a slot in the TOP-3. The fight was tough for both clubs, but Aster turned out to be quicker and were able to finish the series with a score of 2-0, not without problems.

No tools were found against Tundra in the second playoff match of Aster. The team tried to take the European club with the classic style of academic DotA, and on the second map it seemed to bear fruit, but the creative approach prevailed.

The team went to the lower bracket, where PSG.LGD became their rival. For the whole year, this team has set Aster on edge, and therefore the victory over such a principled rival should have added morale to them.

Team Aster roster

• Monet
• Ori
• xxs
• BoBoKa
• 皮球

Often “sinking” Ori played reliably at this tournament, but not always. He is perhaps the only link that sometimes brings destruction to the well-balanced Aster roster model, but he can also shine, which he did against PSG.LGD.

Heroes Team Aster

At The International 2022, the team is not reinventing the wheel. They play wild, picking Mars, Puck, Tiny, Snapfire, Mars, Primal Beast, Marci, Visage.

There is nothing supernatural, except perhaps for playing on “classic” cores like Sven, Luna and Drow Ranger. Monet hardly plays Shadow Fiend and other non-conventional heroes that are currently strong. Aster used it in the match against Tundra, but it did not bear fruit.

Form Team Liquid

In the status of an outsider, Team Liquid will approach this fight. The chance of the European team to win is estimated by the odds around 1.9.

The figure is close, as well as the level of play of the teams. But it was not always so, especially given the seasonal performance of the “liquid”.

If Aster is about order and stability, then Liquid is proportionally about the opposite. The most controversial team of the tournament.

This is indicated by the performance of the team this year.

Team Liquid Performance

Team Liquid has been stormy this competitive season, which is not surprising. At the start of the year, the team made a large-scale reshuffle, not only updating the roster, but also changing the positions of players in some roles.

Such confusion was not evident in the perspective of the regional league, however, it resonated strongly at international events where Liquid played.

If in Western Europe the glory of the “kings of online” was fixed for Liquid, then on LANs their game drove them into sadness. The team entered the TOP-12 of the major twice, which did not allow them to get directly to The International.

Fortunately for Liquid, the qualifiers for the main event of the year were held online, where the current Liquid felt at ease.

The Last Chance Qualifier was held directly in Singapore, which, however, did not prevent the team from taking the TOP-2 there and getting to The International.

Team Liquid at The International 2022

At the main event of the year, Team Liquid played in a group with OG, Royal Never Give Up, Evil Geniuses. Despite a serious company, Liquid, inspired by the victory at Last Chance Qulifier, broke into the upper bracket of The International playoffs.

In Group A, the team took 2nd place, losing only 1 series against PSG.LGD. Before the first match of the playoffs of Liquid with Team Aster, the former looked like a favorite. Nevertheless, the Chinese club academically outperformed their rivals on two maps, outplaying Liquid not without a struggle.

Further, the lower bracket happened to Liquid, where the “liquid” extravaganza began. In the match against Entity Liquid in a long third map, they gnawed out a victory in order to take a break in the match with OG and then create a match against Thunder. It is to create, because I have not seen such a show for a long time. Everything was there: from a carnival of fights to a comeback against mega-creeps.

Liquid's victory over Thunder is a huge morale boost.

Team Liquid roster

• MATUMBAMAN
• MiCke
• zai
• Boxi
• InsaNia

Liquid has a roster that is experienced enough to bounce back from their loss against Aster. Add here a wide coaching staff and get a working mechanism, but not uninterrupted. The key here is experience and stress resistance, which, by the way, their counterparts also have.

Heroes Team Liquid

In their picks, Liquid focuses on Death Prophet (4 matches, 75% wins), Mars (4 matches, 50% wins), Slark (3 matches, 66% wins), Vengeful Spirit (3 matches, 66% wins), Marci and Pudge (3 matches, 66% of wins).

Don't underestimate MATUMBA's signature characters like Lone Druid, Pudge and more. In addition, Lifestealer in his performance is especially dangerous.

Also good is MiCke, often criticized in the mid lane, but this year playing a stable tournament.

History of personal confrontations

The teams played each other in the first playoff match of The International 2022. Then Aster won.

Exodus

Liquid's revenge should be a worthy duel, as for the match for reaching the final of the lower bracket. Teams can show a DotA extravaganza, but Aster will be stronger in this extravaganza.

As for me, Liquid has dried up, and the last game only strengthens my opinion. Academic Aster became a problem in the first round of the playoffs, and will deliver in subsequent ones. Liquid is taken with enthusiasm and swoop, Aster is used to this.

Bottom line: Aster wins.