Puppey’s perfect TI run now lays on the line as Team Secret stumbles to the Lower Bracket of TI12 WEU Qualifiers.
Western Europe's (WEU) The International 2023 (TI12) Qualifier grows more intense as regional favorites, Team Secret, get knocked down to the Lower Bracket by Entity. Clement "Puppey" Ivanov, who has attended every iteration of The International, now has one final chance to keep his unprecedented streak alive.
Team Secret hasn't really been in their best form this year. However, Puppey has always made it work. Last year, Secret was on the brink of missing TI but they prevailed in the Last Chance Qualifier (LCQ). This year, fans are expecting them to deliver the same storyline and complete their prophecy of winning this International.
But Secret is already facing a turbulent in their TI12 Qualifier journey. Here's what happened in their Upper Bracket series vs Entity.
Entity convincingly sweeps Team Secret 2-0
The series between Entity and Team Secret was pretty straightforward. There weren't massive comebacks or moments. Instead, Entity outplayed and outsmarted Team Secret, walking away with a smooth 2-0 win.
The first game was a rough 23-5 massacre. Secret attempted multiple early ganks but Entity read every move well -- not only avoiding the ganks but also punishing other players on the map. With this great early phase, Alimzhan "watson" Islambekov's Phantom Assassin was able to come online quickly and snowballed the opponents.
Image via STRATZ
In the second game, Remco "Crystallis" Arets snatched the Phantom Assassin for himself. And if we remember what he pulled off during Secret's game vs. OG, we would expect the carry player to deliver during the late game.
But Entity was prepared. Despite a better game for Secret, they still were run down by a confident Entity. Crystallis even attempted to pull a late-game bloodbath with a Divine Rapier in hands, but it wasn't enough.
Image via STRATZ
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Three more series for TI12
The tension rises as Secret drops to the Lower Bracket. And Puppey's TI streak is now out in the open.
The team has a long way to go before they can grasp the TI12 slot. They need to win against Level UP to advance to the Lower Bracket Semifinal. And if they do win, there are other remaining contenders - and they are looking scary.
Alliance, OG, and Quest Esports are still battling for the final TI12 slot in the Lower Bracket. On the other hand, Luna Galaxy, who had just defeated Quest Esports, will also square off in the Upper Bracket against Entity.
If Secret loses a series, not only would we miss one of the most prominent orgs on the biggest Dota 2 stage, but we'll also see Puppey's TI absence for the first time in history. His 11-TI streak is at risk, and this Lower Bracket run will be a do-or-die.
One more day remains before we crown the TI12 WEU Qualifier champions. You can catch the livestream of the Qualifiers on Twitch.
Stay tuned to esports.gg for more Dota 2 news and updates.
