posted by Sun_Tzu,
Alliance take on the former champions and last years runner's up, 
Na`Vi, in what might well be a prelude to the eventual Grand Final, which will be played out tomorrow!
As Na`Vi picked up the offlane Windrunner Alliance chose to start of their game disrupting Funn1k's usual Ancient farming, blocking the camp with a Chen illusion and having AdmiralBulldog on the Bounty Hunter harass him before rotating around the other lanes a bit.
Na`Vi got the first blood on s4's Puck at 6 minutes in, after Alliance tried to gank up Dendi using the Chen's rotation to the middle lane. Alliance did not wait long for their reprisal, picking off Funn1k's Windrunner a minute later, only to have XBOCT and Kuroky dive behind the Tier 2 Tower at bottom lane in order to kill Bulldog, followed by more aggression at mid lane with the Sand King and Io combination, as Na`Vi looked to be getting off to a strong start.
Alliance took the first big engagement at 11 minutes time at mid lane, going 3-1 only losing s4's Puck on the back end after he had dove behind the Tier 1 Tower in order to kill off Kuroky. While Na`Vi looked poised to take the next big fight a few minutes later on the bottom lane, a buyback from s4 and re-engagement helped Alliance keep the fight even, as it was 7-6 in Na`Vi's favour at 14 minutes in.
Alliance went for the Roshan at 16 minutes, however were cautious in finishing him off due to the amount of Na`Vi presence circling around the pit, with the Epicenter, Call Down and Mystic Flare having a lot of potential to wreak havoc in such an enclosed space. It would take until 19 minutes before Alliance had created the positional advantage in order to go back in and clear off the big guy, giving Loda his Aegis.
s4 managed to initiate a fight with a jump-in into a Dream Coil in Na`Vi's midst, setting his team up for two easy kills while both the Epicenter and Call Down of Na`Vi did little at all in the fight. This pattern was repeated two minutes later, although this time around EGM was able to use the Song of the Siren in order to help isolate XBOCT and kill him off, as Alliance took the fight 5-0 and claimed the mid Melee Barracks, backing off only ending up giving away Bulldog and EGM's heroes, making it 15-9 in Alliance's favour at 25minutes in.
Alliance went up the ramp at 28 minutes again on bottom lane, clearing off the Tier 3 Tower with little resistance and then smacking down the relocating Io, causing Na`Vi to call the 'GG' as they were down a few players and looking at losing their second lane of Barracks before the half hour mark.
Game 1 End Screen
Na'Vi last picks Tidehunter for Dendi against S4's Nyx Assassin. AdmiralBulldog gets sent to the offlane but was able to pull the first wave to his tower with his bear. Seeing the high kill potential at the bottom lane, Puppey and Kuroky rotates to get a kill on AdmiralBulldog
With an uncontested lane, Loda was able to get his Hand of Midas just after the 5 minute mark but Na'Vi was able to get the bottom tier one tower, zoning AdmiralBulldog out. This is followed by a tier two tower while Alliance grabs top tier 1.
Having picked up a Double Damage rune, S4 attempts to get a kill on Funnik's Nature's Prophet but he was able to escape with a sliver of health. Na'Vi also manages to take the tier one middle tower. Na'Vi attetmps to get the mid tier two at around 12 minutes but Alliance successfully denies it from them.
Another tower goes to Na'Vi at the 13 minute mark and they keep on continuing, breaking the tier two just a minute later, this causes Alliance to lose full map control, starving their heroes of the precious farm. S4 gets caught off guard in the Radiant jungle, second kill of the game goes to Na'Vi. However AdmiralBulldog manages to recover quickly and gets a Sacred Relic at around 15 minutes.
After a failed high ground siege, Na'Vi backs off to get a few core items up on their heroes. Meanwhile AdmiralBulldog finishes Radiance at 19 minutes. Alliance smokes out to attempt a gank but was unable to get any hero, instead sacrificing the Spirit Bear.
Na'Vi tries to push the bottom tier three but was forced back by Alliance while they themselves attempt tier two. During the ensuing teamfight, Alliance gives up two kills. Funnick and Kuroky immediately resumes pushing the bottom tier three but dies in stead.
An extended Roshan fight sees kills being traded between the two teams, but Na'Vi manages to come out on top. Aegis gets stolen under Na'Vi's noses when EGM activates Song of Siren to stop their attempt. With that Aegis, Alliance goes for the mid push, grabbing the tier two and numerous kills on Na'Vi. Alliance then proceeds to take the mid tier three and both barracks.
The Ukraine team goes for the offensive at top but was halted by Alliance with a four man wipe. This is followed by another high ground siege and Na'Vi calls 'GG' soon after.
Game 2 End Screen
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