PSG.LGD and Azure Ray, the two remaining Chinese Dota 2 teams in the Bali Major, will lock horns in the upcoming first series of lower bracket Round 2. The best-of-three series will dictate which side gets to carry the banner of China forward into the final major before TI. This will also be the first big-league series to pit the young PSG.LGD blood against the team’s old guard before it was reformed in 2020.
PSG.LGD have already qualified for a direct invite to this year’s The International (abbreviated TI), the premiere Valve-sponsored annual tournament for Dota 2. Even if they crash from their current position in the Bali Major, they sit comfortably on a potential fifth spot in global DPC rankings with 1184 points.
In comparison, securing a direct TI invitation is a distant dream for members of Azure Ray. That said, if they miraculously manage to pull off a lower-bracket run to hoist the trophy, their chances are not dead in the water. The following rundown on the PSG.LGD vs Azure Ray fixture will use the available statistics to determine the winner.
Preview of PSG.LGD vs Azure Ray Dota 2 Bali Major 2023 Lower Bracket R2
Predictions
The current PSG.LGD roster with Guo ‘Shiro’ Xuanang and Lin ‘planet’ Hao was only formed this year. Regardless, they have managed to stay on top of the admittedly dying Chinese regional Dota 2 scene. In the last two Majors, they have been knocked out in lower bracket round 1, meaning the Bali Major is already their best Major standing this year.
With their current form, they can seemingly go even further. For PSG.LGD fans, the new roster has managed to recreate the familiar sparks of adaptability and dominant midgame made famous by the organization.
Meanwhile, the newly formed Azure Ray have only narrowly made it into the playoffs stage. Despite the veteran expertise of heavyweights like Xu ‘fy’ Linsen and Lu ‘Somnus’ Yao, the new PSG.LGD is battle-hardened by all tricks in the Chinese Dota 2 book. The match-up should nevertheless still be close, but PSG.LGD ought to clinch it 2-1.
Head-to-head
Azure Ray and PSG.LGD have officially gone head-to-head only twice. The first clash erupted in the third season of China Dota 2 Pro Circuit Division 1 this year, where table toppers PSG.LGD managed to beat them two-for-one. The second was the group stage of the Bali Major itself, a best-of-two that ended in a draw.
Previous results
Both teams faced their last series of maps in Round 1 of Lower Brackets this Major. PSG.LGD eliminated Team Spirit from the Major by going 2-for-1. Similarly, Azure Ray clinched a 2-1 victory against Betboom Team, where the latter had Roman “Resolut1on”Fomynok as a stand-in for disqualified offlaner Ivan ‘Pure’ Moskalenko.
Bali Major 2023 rosters
PSG.LGD
- Guo ‘Shiro’ Xuanang
- Cheng ‘NothingToSay’ Jin Xiang
- Li ‘niu’ Kongbo
- Lin ‘planet’ Hao
- Zhang ‘WhyouSm1Le’ Yiping, also known as ‘y’ and ‘Innocence’
Azure Ray
- Lou ‘Lou’ Zhen
- Lu ‘Somnus’ Yao, also known as ‘Maybe’
- Yang ‘chalice’ Shenyi
- Xu ‘fy’ Linsen
- Jiang ‘天命’ An
Livestream details
The Lower Bracket Finals Round 1 series for the final Valve-sponsored Major this year will begin on July 6, 2023, at 7 pm PT/ July 7, 2023, at 7 am IST. You can tune in via Twitch or Youtube on TO EpulzeGaming’s official handles.
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