Team Liquid has emerged victorious at PGL Wallachia Season 3, defeating Tundra Esports 3-1 in Sunday’s grand finals. This marks Liquid’s first major title since their triumph at The International 2024 last September, reinforcing their status as reigning Dota 2 world champions.
Liquid’s dominant run saw them sweep the group stage 3-0 before cruising through the upper bracket. Their commanding performance earned them the $300,000 top prize from the tournament’s $1 million prize pool.
The victory is also a career milestone for Jonáš “SabeRLighT-” Volek, Liquid’s newest offlaner. After replacing Neta “33” Shapira, who departed for Tundra Esports, SabeRLighT secured his first-ever Tier 1 tournament win.
Liquid’s Road to Victory
Liquid’s dominance began in the Swiss-format group stage, where they secured a flawless 3-0 record and a top seed in the playoffs. They then stormed through the upper bracket, remaining undefeated on their way to the grand final.
- Upper Bracket Quarterfinals: Defeated Aurora Gaming (2-1)
- Semifinals: Swept Xtreme Gaming (2-0)
- Upper Bracket Final: Swept Team Falcons (2-0)
In contrast, Tundra Esports took a much more difficult path to the finals. They barely advanced from the group stage with a modest 3-2 record before facing additional challenges in the playoffs. After defeating Gaimin Gladiators in three games, they suffered a 1-2 loss to Team Falcons, dropping them to the lower bracket. With elimination looming, Tundra rallied to defeat Aurora Gaming and then exacted revenge on Team Falcons in a crucial rematch to earn their spot in the grand finals.
Grand Final Showdown
The best-of-five final began with a grueling 53-minute Game 1, but Liquid’s superior late-game execution secured them the win. Michał “Nisha” Jankowski’s mid Tinker was the difference-maker, finishing with 11 kills, 23 assists, and only one death, while miCKe’s Sven dominated with 17 kills.
Liquid shifted gears in Game 2, opting for an aggressive mid-game strategy. miCKe’s Ursa, Nisha’s Puck, and SabeRLighT’s Night Stalker overwhelmed Tundra in just 36 minutes, putting Liquid up 2-0.
Tundra fought back in Game 3, maintaining control from start to finish. Anton “dyrachyo” Shkredov’s Alchemist and Bozhidar “bzm” Bogdanov’s Invoker led the charge, securing a 32-minute victory and keeping their championship hopes alive.
However, Liquid crushed any comeback hopes in Game 4 with their most one-sided win of the series. In under 40 minutes, miCKe’s Tiny (13/1/9) and SabeRLighT’s Tidehunter (9/0/16) sealed the deal, crowning Team Liquid as champions.
Standout Performances
- miCKe (Finals MVP): Led the series in kills, excelling on Sven, Ursa, and Tiny.
- Nisha: Game 1’s mid Tinker pick was a masterstroke, setting the tone for the series.
- SabeRLighT-: Showed why Liquid signed him, closing the series with an unstoppable Tidehunter.
- Tundra’s dyrachyo & bzm: Their Alchemist-Invoker synergy in Game 3 was one of the series’ highlights.
Prize Pool Distribution
The $1 million prize pool is distributed as below:
- 1. $300,000 — Team Liquid
- 2. $175,000 — Tundra Esports
- 3. $120,000 — Team Falcons
- 4. $80,000 – Team Spirit
- 5-6. $60,000 – Aurora Gaming, Xtreme Gaming
- 7-8. $40,000 — Team Tidebound, Gaimin Gladiators
- 9-11. $20,000 — HEROIC, Natus Vincere, Yellow Submarine
- 12-14. $15,000 — Nigma Galaxy, AVULUS, Wildcard
- 15-16. $10,000 — OG, Mosquito Clan
Viewership
According to Esports Charts, the tournament generated significant viewer interest with peak viewership reaching 342,340 during the Liquid vs. Tundra finals. The event accumulated over 15 million hours watched across its 101+ hours of broadcast time.
The most popular viewing language was Russian, while Twitch emerged as the preferred streaming platform. Interestingly, despite not winning the tournament, Tundra Esports led in hours watched with 6.4 million, demonstrating their strong fan following.
Road Ahead
With this championship secured, Team Liquid has positioned themselves favorably for a direct invitation to The International 2025, scheduled for September in Hamburg, Germany. The team now aims to make Dota 2 history by becoming only the third organization ever to win consecutive world championships, which would also give them their third Aegis of Champions trophy following victories in 2017 and 2024.
Team Liquid will look to maintain their momentum in upcoming tournaments, starting with FISSURE Universe: Episode 4 taking place from March 22 to 30. Their schedule remains packed with additional high-profile events including ESL One Raleigh 2025 and PGL Wallachia Season 4, both scheduled for April.
Discover more from Gaming Foodle
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
