OG defeated TSM 3-1 in the final of ESL One Stockholm. The western European team came a long way through the lower bracket, repeatedly narrowly escaping elimination.
“I want to lie in bed now and process what just happened,” said Tommy “Taiga” Lee in the press conference after the final. “After that, I’ll celebrate with Ceb first because I probably won’t have the chance to play with him again.”
Double world champion Sébastian “Ceb” Debs stepped in at short notice. Russian player Mikhail “Misha” Agatov was previously unable to get a visa to enter Sweden.
OG was the audience’s undisputed favorite at Stockholm’s Hovet Arena. Almost every move of the team earned thunderous applause. A few TSM jerseys were spotted in the sea of OG jerseys, but fans of the North American team were rarely able to drown out the OG fanbase in Sweden.
ESL One Stockholm: Difficult path into the final
OG was traded as one of the favorites as the winner of the Western European Dota Pro Circuit League. But Misha’s failure hit the team hard. After finishing second in the group stage, OG lost their first playoff match to TSM and fought their way through the lower bracket to the finals.
“Even though the team won the Major with me, there is no way Misha’s place in the team is in jeopardy,” Ceb said at the press conference. “There’s no way we would have won without him as he supported us from afar. He played a very big role.”
World Cup qualification for double world champion OG safe
OG has almost certainly qualified for the Dota World Championship by winning the EU DPC and taking first place in the Major on points. As announced during the final, the World Cup will take place in Singapore in October. “Although we are already qualified, we will continue to give 100 per cent, even more,” said Ammar “ATF” Al-Assaf.
TSM could have been the first North American team to win a Dota Major. At the very least, the team’s carry player Enzo “Timado” Gianoli O’Connor became the first South American player to reach a Major final. Alongside TSM, the top spots are claimed by Western European teams with Tundra Esports in third and Gaimin Gladiators in fourth. With Erik “tOfu” Engel and Leon “Nine” Kirilin, two Germans are also in the top four.