Alliance has parted ways with its offlaner symetricaL and will play the remaining DPC games, and ESL One Malaysia, with a stand-in.
Alliance has parted ways with their offlaner Moiez "symetricaL" Lin. The roster move was announced across the team’’s social media on July 4th. Alliance will reportedly play its remaining DPC WEU 2021/2022 Tour 3: Division I matches with a stand-in.
The announcement comes just days after Alliance’s latest loss to Gaimin Gladiators. A loss which set the team’s record at 0-5 and facing demotion from Division I. Alliance will be demoted to Division II unless they win their next two matches, and two of the three teams above them in the standings lose their next two matches. This would then put the squad in a tiebreaker to keep their Division I spot.
With these dire situations, it seems Alliance has taking the initiative to make changes to its roster and remove symetricaL. Changes that were forecast in team co-owner and coach Jonathan "Loda" Berg’s tweets on Saturday.
Alliance’s tenuous situation
While Alliance is making roster moves to improve, the team is also facing criticism for its surprise invite to ESL One Malaysia. On Sunday, July 3rd, Alliance was revealed as the third team to receive a direct invite to the August tournament.
The team was invited alongside current WEU Division I table-toppers OG, and SEA locals Fnatic. The invite sparked criticism from multiple sources within the Dota 2 scene, including NA Division I team captain Samuel "Sammyboy" Anderson, and SA squad beastcoast’s team manager Vitória “Guashineen” Otero.
The criticism implies that Alliance, with their 0-5 record in the DPC are undeserving of an invite. A valid point coming from representatives of the current best team in the SA DPC Division 1, and a middle of the table team in the NA DPC Division 1.
However, Alliance are still one of the most recognisable brands in Dota 2, and their presence at ESL One Malaysia is sure to elevate the tournament’s standing. Even if their play may not be up to the international standard at the event.
Regardless of criticism, Alliance is in desperate need to level-up its performance ahead of The International. One of the great failings of the current DPC system is the relatively tiny amount of chances for teams to compete at inter-regional events. Alliance’s attendance at ESL One Malaysia will be the first international LAN the organization will have competed in since TI10.