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Singapore Major: Secret, Alliance, Nigma, Liquid to rep Europe

(Illustration: Yahoo Esports, Logos: ONE Esports, Team Secret, Alliance, Team Nigma, Team Liquid)
(Illustration: Yahoo Esports, Logos: ONE Esports, Team Secret, Alliance, Team Nigma, Team Liquid)

The first season of the 2021 Dota Pro Circuit's (DPC) European regional league has concluded, with Team Secret, Alliance, Team Nigma, and Team Liquid representing the region in the upcoming ONE Esports Singapore Major.

Team Secret continue to assert themselves as the best team in both Europe and the rest of the world, going undefeated throughout the entire season to finish atop the European regional league. Secret only dropped three games in what was widely considered to be the most competitive region of the DPC, capping off their undefeated run in the league with a huge 2-1 win over OG in the last match of the regular season.

As the top seed of the regional league's upper division, Team Secret also earned the grand prize of US$30,000 and 500 DPC points to go towards securing a direct invite to The International 10 (TI10) as well as an all-important direct seed to the playoffs of the Major.

Alliance finished in second place with a 5-2 record, with their only losses being to Team Nigma in Week 1 and Team Secret in Week 4. Despite a rough start to the season, the team improved greatly over the course of the league to secure a ticket to Singapore, where they will start the Major from the group stage, as well as a hefty sum of US$28,000 and 300 DPC points.

Team Nigma finished in third place with a 4-3 record to take the first Major wildcard spot for Europe. Despite a rough stretch in Weeks 3 and 4, where they suffered three-straight losses to Secret, Vikin.gg, and OG, Nigma were able to take much-needed wins at the tail end of the season to make the Major as well as earn US$27,000 and 200 DPC points.

Meanwhile, Team Liquid took the final Major slot for Europe after finishing in fourth place with a 3-4 record and emerging victorious in a wild three-way, six-game series of tiebreakers between them, OG, and Tundra Esports.

While two of three their wins were against the bottom teams of the league, Liquid scored a huge victory over OG in Week 5 to give them a chance to make it to the Major. With OG and Tundra Esports also ending the regular season with a 3-4 record, the three teams had to settle the score with tiebreakers on Sunday (28 February).

The first round of tiebreakers saw Liquid beating OG, OG beating Tundra, and Tundra beating Liquid, which forced another them to play another round of matches. Liquid was able to beat OG and Tundra in the second round to finally punch their ticket to Singapore as well as earn US$26,000 and 100 DPC points.

With Liquid grabbing the final Major spot for Europe, two-time TI winners OG will surprisingly miss the first Major of this year's DPC despite being one of the favourites to represent the region prior to the start of the season.

Things started falling apart for OG at the latter half of Week 4, when they lost to bottom team Vikin.gg after a big win over Nigma just days before. They would go on to lose to Liquid and Secret, which then forced them to play in the tiebreakers.

In the tiebreakers, OG ran highly-questionable drafts in their games against Liquid, both of which the latter easily won to deny the two-time TI winners a spot in the Major. Despite missing out on a trip to Singapore, OG still earn US$25,000 and 50 DPC points.

Tundra Esports finished in sixth place, losing their second game against Liquid in the second round of the tiebreakers that cost them and OG a spot in the Major. With that said, they will still remain in the upper division for next season and take home US$24,000 in consolation.

Finally, Vikin.gg and High Coast Esports will be relegated to the lower division after finishing in the bottom two of the European regional league's upper division. They will be replaced by Brame and Hellbear Smashers, the top two teams of the lower division, for next season.

Here's a full breakdown of the league's results:

(Placement) Team

Record

Seed

Winnings

(1.) Team Secret

7-0 (14-3)

Major Playoffs

US$30,000, 500 DPC points

(2.) Alliance

5-2 (12-7)

Major Group Stage

US$28,000, 300 DPC points

(3.) Team Nigma

4-3 (10-8)

Major Wildcard

US$27,000, 200 DPC points

(4.) Team Liquid

3-4 (8-9)

Major Wildcard

US$26,000, 100 DPC points

(5.) OG

3-4 (9-11)


US$25,000, 50 DPC points

(6.) Tundra Esports

3-4 (9-9)


US$24,000

(7.) Vikin.gg

2-5 (6-12)

Relegation

US$23,000

(8.) High Coast Esports

1-6 (3-12)

Relegation

US$22,000

Europe is the third regional league in the DPC to determine its representatives in the Singapore Major.

Southeast Asia was the first, with Fnatic, Neon Esports, and T1 as its representatives, while South America was second, with Beastcoast and Thunder Predator.

For more esports news updates, visit https://yhoo.it/YahooEsportsSEA and check out Yahoo Esports Southeast Asia’s Facebook page.

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