Team Secret Remains Undefeated Through DPC Season 1

The Dota Pro Circuit Season 1 has almost come to an end with the top teams earning their spot in the upcoming ONE Esports Singapore Major 2021. The European division featured some of the best Dota 2 teams, across the world and Team Secret demolished the competition. Puppey and co. ended their Season 1 Dota Pro Circuit journey undefeated with a 7-0 score. 

The 2020 Esports Award-winning team continues its great form in 2021. With seven series wins and just three game losses, Puppey's team is already displaying its dominance in the Dota 2 world.

Secret started its DPC 2021 season with a 2-1 victory over mudgolems. The first game was a dominating victory for Team Secret which brought out Nisha’s Outworld Destroyer. 

Game 2 went along similar lines with an extremely fast Meteor Hammer for OD. However, Game 2 was much closer and each team had the lead during the mid-game. Eventually, mudgolems emerged on top to tie the series. Team Secret took the series 2-1 after a one-sided performance in Game 3. Nisha’s Invoker did not die even once while MATUMBAMAN went 8-1 on his Terrorblade.

Secret’s second win came against 2020’s standout team, Vikin.gg. Game 1 saw both teams struggle for any advantage that they could secure, but eventually, Team Secret’s late-game-oriented lineup took the lead. With Phantom Lancer and Storm Spirit, Secret was able to kite their opponents enough to secure an advantage. Game 2 was a relatively straightforward result as Secret never allowed Seleri and co. to get a foothold in the series. The second game ended with a 28-5 score and a 20,000 net worth lead for Team Secret. Dota 2 fans should not be surprised by spectacular Yapzor plays such as this stolen Blackhole, but these plays always play a big role in Secret’s wins. 

Week 3 was the most important one for Team Secret as it would face Nigma and Team Liquid, two of the strongest teams in the European region. Secret was in fine form for Week 3 taking down both of its opponents with a 2-0 score. Team Secret’s diversity in the drafting phase was visible as Puppey drafted seventeen different heroes in the four games of the week. Nigma posed no challenge to Team Secret in its games.

Team Liquid had a much more competitive stance, but Secret’s experience and ability to extract maximum impact of its heroes helped Secret 2-0 Team Liquid. 

As Team Secret was dominating the European region, Alliance was also slowly but surely climbing up to secure the second position. This is why the Team Secret vs Alliance match of Week 4 holds significance. The winner of this match had the best chance to qualify for the ONE Esports Singapore Major playoffs. Team Secret defeated Alliance 2-1 to take the top spot and secure its position as the best Dota 2 team in Europe. 

Week Five saw an easy 2-0 win for Secret over High Coast. By now, Secret had already cemented its place as the best team in the European section. But one final game remained, against OG, the two-time TI champion in Dota 2. The high-tempo Game 1 saw Secret take multiple strong team fights, often team-wiping OG without losing a single hero. 

As Secret showed its late-game strengths, OG could not withstand the onslaught of Team Secret’s fast-paced game. OG came out strong in Game 2 taking a massive lead and preventing Secret from clawing back into the game. 

Secret had a perfect run through the DPC Season 1 ending with a 2-1 victory over OG. 

Game 3 is a must-watch for Dota 2 fans as it brought out the best form of both teams. The game ran for fifty-three minutes and saw OG put up a resilient defense. Ultimately, Team Secret pulled through.

Team Secret had 71 kills at the end of game 3 and helped immensely by their mixture of team fight and sustainability with Enigma and IO. Zai’s Enigma was always in the right position and Secret could control the tempo of the game.

A big reason for Secret’s success in Dota 2 is the experience of its players and their versatility. During DPC Season 1, Secret has picked a wide range of heroes including Enigma, Chen, IO, Bristleback, Luna, Lion, Zeus, Warlock and many more.

Secret’s drafts usually have a heavier focus on team fights, but Puppey has not shied away from picking single-target lineups either. More recently, in the OG match, Secret had a heavy emphasis on sustainability and team-fights with the IO and Enigma pick. Heroes like Ursa and Tuskar are also extremely difficult to kill and thereby provide excellent synergy with the lineup.

Yapzor’s AOE control heroes are often the playmakers in any Secret lineup. The player’s impeccable timing ensures these heroes stand out for their purpose on the lineup. With a stable roster and a seemingly uninterrupted run, Team Secret is the favorite to win ONE Esports Singapore Major 2021.