VGJ.Storm secure third and they're not done yet

posted by Abelle,

It's been quite a day for Mars Media Dota 2 League: Changsha underdogs Forward Gaming. They faced down two of Europe's toughest teams and came out on top, edging closer to what could potentially become the strongest result of any NA team in this year's Majors. The first match of the day pitted VGJ.S against their newest member's former team - OG. The once powerful European squad fell to pieces against VGJ's onslaught. The first game of this best-of-three series was an outright stomp, with VGJ.S taking the win at just over 25 minutes with a 30-8 kill lead.

The second game wasn't much closer, though it did last almost twice as long. This time, Roman 'Resolut1on' Fominok's Medusa came up big, using his 823 GPM to farm his way to victory. His Divine Rapier purchase at the 38-minute mark helped to seal the deal.

Resolut1on is in the Top 25 Net Worth Medusas at 20 minutes in 7.07+ this game - a list that contains Resolut1on six times already! #MDLChangsha

📺 https://t.co/VZnt4kO1Z3
🗣️@LyricalDota, @BTSGoDz & @GranDGranT pic.twitter.com/x3EP0abtix
— Beyond the Summit (@BeyondTheSummit) May 16, 2018

VGJ.Storm's next challenge was even tougher - a semifinal best-of-three against Team Secret. In stark contrast to their first game of the day, VGJ.S were on the receiving end of the stomping in the opener of this series. They found themselves overrun by an extremely coordinated Secret who made Ember Spirit and Medusa look like early game heroes.

You could hardly be blamed for thinking that Secret were about to stop VGJ's run in its tracks, but the NA squad managed to dominate Game 2 of the series with an out-of-control Slark for Reso. The win evened up the series and forced a deciding game.

It was the most back-and-forth game that either team had played today, with Secret taking a strong mid-game lead but VGJ forcing their way back in. There were fantastic plays from the whole squad but especially from Arif 'MSS' Anwar's Tusk, who was always ready to disrupt fights.

THEY'VE DONE IT! @Team_VGJ STORM ARE GOING TO WINNERS BRACKET FINALS AND ARE TOP 3 AT #MDLCHANGSHA!

🗣️ @GranDGranT, @BananaSlamJamma & @keepingitKyle
📺 https://t.co/VZnt4kO1Z3 pic.twitter.com/37iwyGGUZk
— Beyond the Summit (@BeyondTheSummit) May 16, 2018

The win propels VGJ.Storm into the Winner's Final of MDL Changsha. That means that this NA squad is guaranteed at least 3rd place in the Major. An NA team has only taken 3rd one other time over the course of this year's DPC Majors - Evil Geniuses at DreamLeague Season 8. If VGJ.Storm can reach 2nd, they will have taken the best result of any NA team in a DPC Major this year.

The teams will have tomorrow off to rest and prepare for the remainder of the finals. MDL is taking a one-day break before the main stage, which starts Friday.

Header photo source: Mars Media on Facebook