The final stop before The International 2022, The International 2022: Last Chance Qualifiers, started on October 8, 2022. Each region has two representatives for the Last Chance Qualifiers hailing from China, North America, South America, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, and Southeast Asia. A total of twelve teams from around the world will battle it out, with two slots remaining to qualify for the largest DOTA 2 tournament in the world; who will get the most sought-after spots?
The Group Stage will feature two groups made of six teams each. The top four teams in each group will advance to the Upper Bracket, and the remaining teams will proceed to the Lower Bracket. The groups will compete in a single round-robin and Best of Two matches. Natus Vincere, Vici Gaming, Team Secret, Polaris Esports, Nouns, and Tempest fills Group A. Group B consists of Team Liquid, Xtreme Gaming, Virtus pro, T1, Infamous, and Wildcard Gaming.
Day 1 of the Group Stage
Group A
The Group Stage kicked off with a total of 16 matches, fulfilling every fan’s dreams of wanting some DOTA 2 action. At the end of Day 1, there were clear winners and clear losers. In Group A, Natus Vincere pulled ahead, securing the group’s top spot after winning 5 out of 6 matches. Team Secret follows suit occupying the 2nd spot, winning 4 out of 2 games. Vici Gaming and Polaris Esports occupy the 3rd and 4th spot finishing the day with 3 wins out of 4 games a piece. Nouns and Tempest round out the group at the 5th and last place with disappointing results, with 1 win and 5 losses and 0 wins and 6 losses, respectively.
Group B featured exciting matches, and the top spot is in tight contention. There is a three-way tie at the group’s top spot, with Team Liquid, Xtreme Gaming, and Virtus Pro winning 4 out of 6 matches. Infamous occupy the 4th spot of Group B with a less than favorable 2 wins out of 4 games. Wildcard Gaming and T1 tie for the last place, securing 1 win out of 4 games.
Group Stage: Conclusion
The Last Day of the Group Stage did not disappoint. The coveted Upper Bracket placement is vital for these teams to improve their chances of qualifying for TI11. In Group A, Natus Vincere, Vici Gaming, Team Secret, and Polaris Esports book their tickets to the Upper Bracket Playoffs securing the top four spots of the group. In Group B, Team Liquid, Xtreme Gaming, Virtus.pro, and T1 will get their slot in the Upper Bracket Playoffs after finishing in the top four of the group. The International 2022: Last Chance Qualifiers will start tomorrow; who is your bet to win it all?
