DreamLeague Season 23 concluded in a dominating fashion with Team Falcons taking home the championship title in a one-sided grand final.
They take home the lion’s share of the prize pool and cement their place as one of the best Dota 2 teams in the current year, especially in the new patch.
Team Falcons displayed unmatched prowess throughout the competition. After being sent to the lower bracket by Gaimin Gladiators, they faced the resurgent BetBoom, who was on a roll throughout the lower bracket, registering victories against Aurora, Tundra Esports and Xtreme Gaming.
The lower bracket finals between Team Falcons and BetBoom were more intense than the grand finals, with dynamic plays and a nerve-wracking display of skills, versatility, and unique drafts, making the series exciting to watch.
The first game saw both teams opt for a low-risk high-reward setup and as expected the game went beyond the 40-minute mark.
However, one clutch team fight by Falcons, which saw them capitalize on BetBoom’s mistake, quickly changed the situation for both teams – better for Falcons and worse for BB. Thus, the Falcons won game one.
The second game saw both teams opt for a similar draft but with extra burst potential. However, it was BetBoom’s draft which exploded better than the enemy as they sailed through the game with relative ease and near-perfect execution.
The game ended up falling in BetBoom’s favour and the fate went on to the deciding game.
The third game was an absolute thriller.
Team Falcons opted for a completely new draft, with no repetition of previous heroes, taking BetBoom by surprise, who on the other hand, opted for a slightly less unique draft. It was a do-or-die moment and the Falcons took flight with a dominating victory and qualifying for the grand finals for a rematch against Gaimin Gladiators.
Gaimin Gladiators eagerly awaited Team Falcons in the grand finals of the DreamLeague Season 23 as the former sought out their first trophy after a resurgence with the new Dota 2 patch 7.36.
However, to much dismay, the grand finals were a torrid one-sided affair as compared to the lower bracket finals.
The best-of-five series ended up in a clean whitewash as Team Falcons emerged victorious in the grand finals, defeating Gaimin Gladiators with a clean sweep (3-0).
It was a humiliating defeat for the resurgent GG, who found their groove right on time with the new patch. It seemed the new patch was tailor-made for them as they kept on utilising the new mechanics to their advantage.
GG made use of heroes with immense burst potential like Leshrac, Legion Commander, Tiny, Juggernaut, Axe and Juggernaut, to name a few, to put more pressure on the enemy with the newly introduced Innates and Facets. These heroes are perfect for aggressive manoeuvres - a playstyle GG is well-known for - giving the Europeans an edge over the other teams.
However, Team Falcons were out to exact vengeance for their defeat in the upper bracket finals. They ensured GG got no breathing space to mount a comeback.
They drafted different heroes in all three games, giving no chance to GG to think of a perfect counter. In the end, it was Team Falcons who soared to victory at DreamLeague Season 23.
This wasn't their first dominant performance; Team Falcons has secured a reputation for 3-0 victories throughout the season, solidifying their position as the world's best Dota 2 team with the highest EPT points (18280).
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