Gaimin Gladiators and Team Liquid remained tied for first place by earning wins on Wednesday during Group Stage 2 of DreamLeague Season 19.
The results leave the two teams at 5-1 heading into the last day of group play on Thursday. Shopify Rebellion are a game back at 4-2.
Sixteen teams began the $1 million Dota 2 event, which runs through Sunday. The winner will receive $300,000 and qualification to the Riyadh Masters.
Two groups consisting of eight teams battled in Group Stage 1. The top four teams from each group moved on to Group Stage 2, while the bottom four teams were eliminated.
Group Stage 2 merges the eight remaining teams into one group and features best-of-three matches. Four teams advance to the playoffs, with the top two teams moving into the upper bracket and the third- and fourth-place finishers competing in the lower bracket.
Those four teams will duke it out in a double-elimination playoff. Playoff matches are best-of-three leading to Sunday’s grand final, which is best-of-five.
On Wednesday, Gaimin beat OG 2-1. The Gladiators took the first map in 35 minutes on green, then saw OG capture the second map in 42 minutes on green. In the decisive third map, Gaimin prevailed in 36 minutes on green.
The United States’ Quinn “Quinn” Callahan paced the Gladiators with an average 10.0/1.3/10.0 kills-deaths-assists ratio. Ukraine’s Artem “Yuragi” Golubiev finished at 7.3/2.7/8.0 for OG.
Liquid had little trouble beating TSM 2-0, winning in 25 minutes and 45 minutes, both on red.
Sweden’s Michael “miCKe” Vu logged an 11.0/1.5/14.5 K-D-A ratio for Liquid. Peru’s Enzo “Timado” Gianoli ended up at 6.0/5.0/6.0 for TSM.
Shopify Rebellion produced a 2-0 win over beastcoast, earning a 56-minute win on green and a 39-minute win on red.
Canada’s Artour “Arteezy” Babaev registered a 17.5/4.5/9.5 K-D-A ratio for Shopify Rebellion. Hector “K1” Rodriguez wound up at 12.5/4.0/12.5 for beastcoast’s all-Peruvian squad.
Tundra Esports eked out a 2-1 win over Evil Geniuses. After Tundra notched a 43-minute victory on green, Evil Geniuses bounced back with a 41-minute win on red. Tundra sealed the match with a 28-minute triumph on green.
Slovakia’s Oliver “skiter” Lepko posted a 6.3/2.7/6.3 K-D-A ratio for Tundra. Peru’s Jean “Chris Luck” Salazar recorded a 9.3/3.7/4.3 K-D-A ratio for Evil Geniuses.
Group Stage 2 concludes Thursday with four matches:
–beastcoast vs. Tundra Esports
–TSM vs. Shopify Rebellion
–Gaimin Gladiators vs. Evil Geniuses
–OG vs. Team Liquid
DreamLeague Season 19 Group Stage 2 standings with match record, map record:
T1. Gaimin Gladiators, 5-1 (10-3)
T1. Team Liquid, 5-1 (10-3)
3. Shopify Rebellion, 4-2 (8-5)
4. Tundra Esports, 3-3 (7-7)
T5. beastcoast, 2-4 (4-9)
T5. Evil Geniuses, 2-4 (7-10)
T5. OG, 2-4 (6-9)
8. TSM, 1-5 (4-10)
DreamLeague Season 19 prize pool
1. $300,000, berth in Riyadh Master
2. $175,000
3. $120,000
4. $85,000
5. $52,500
6. $47,500
7. $42,500
8. $37,500
9-10. $25,000 — Execration, Team Spirit
11-12. $20,000 — Team Aster, Talon Esports
13-14. $15,000 — ex-HellRaisers, Nigma Galaxy
15-16. $10,000 — Entity, nouns
–Field Level Media