Dota 2
Even though most Dota 2 fans are slowly preparing for the upcoming Lima Major, others are interested in Division II matches. Sure, some series aren’t that interesting, but we often have access to epic games, especially in SEA and SA. You can check our recap of Week 1 of the 2023 DPC Division II in these regions.
As expected, week two was as interesting as the first one for many reasons. Since this was the second-last week of the 2023 DPC’s Division II, teams had to step up their game if they wanted to qualify for Division I and save themselves from dropping out of Division II. Some teams surprised us with their picks and results, so let’s learn more about them.
SEA
Following the results during Week 1, it became clear that three teams would be fighting for the Division I slots. With that said, Army Geniuses and Polaris Esports impressed us with their results, so it was time to see what they’ve done.
Polaris started with a victory against Flow
As one of the big favorites in the SEA Division II, we weren’t surprised that Polaris won its series against Flow. What was more surprising was the way Polaris won the match. The team had little to no problems and won the two series in less than 30 minutes.
Polaris won the laning stage in both games and made no mistakes after that, which is why the team had no problems. What’s interesting is that Polaris got Lich in the first game, a hero we haven’t seen in a while.
SPAWN Team defeated XERXIA but lost against Polaris
Although we thought that XERXIA would be one of the teams that would succeed in SEA’s 2023 DPC Division II, it seems we were wrong. After losing two matches during Week 1, XERXIA also lost its first match during Week 2, this time against SPAWN Team.
This was a classic Dota 2 series where both games lasted around 40 minutes. SPAWN Team picked Marci and Rubick in both matches, but we got to see two different cores - MK and Morphling. Despite that, both games were similar because MamangDaya and the rest won the laning stage and used the momentum to win the match.
The series against Polaris
After winning against XERXIA, SPAWN was eager to secure a 2nd victory of the week. However, it had a mountain to climb in the face of Polaris, one of the teams eager to go to Division I.
Surprisingly, the series was way more intriguing than expected because the first game of the match lasted almost one hour. The second match was also pretty long, but in the end, Polaris Esports won yet another series, which put the team in a perfect position before next week’s match against AG. This will be the most important series of the SEA 2023 DPC Division II because both teams are fighting for a Division I slot.
AG defeated MAG
As mentioned, Army Geniuses is one of the big names in SEA’s Division II and one of the teams we expect to qualify for Division I. The latest results prove it because AG won its series during Week 2 against Myth Avenue Gaming.
The team had no problems in both matches because it got the chance to play with Lina. Their counterparts focused on Mirana in both games, but the hero wasn’t powerful enough to deal with AG’s meta-carry.
Following this win, Army Geniuses already has four victories, which puts the team in a good position before Week 3. However, this is when they will have to play three series, so it will be interesting to see if it will succeed.
South America
Regarding Division II of the 2023 DPC in South America, several teams have equal chances of securing one of the two slots for Division II. This makes the matches here even more interesting because everything is possible.
Mad King had a flying start after defeating No Runes
Although this was the first match of Week 2 of the 2023 DPC, it was one of the most important series yet. Mad Kings and No Runes are 2 of the big favorites for one of the Division II slots. As a result, the direct clash between them could have a crucial role at the end of Week 3.
Although most of us thought No Runes would be victorious, Mad Kings won the epic series. NR ripped through their opponents in the first match of the series and didn’t give them any chances of winning. Mad Kings used their famous Dusa and BG combo but didn’t have enough time to show its prowess.
The good news for Rena and the rest was that the team bounced back in the second map. Despite playing against a deadly Storm and Morph combo, Mad Kings got their favorite Phantom Lancer. The team won the game following an epic battle and equalized the match.
In the series' last game, No Runes lost their vast advantage and allowed their team to bounce back. Mad Kings used it and defeated their opponents after 52 minutes of play.
Balrogs rose from the ashes
After losing their first match during Week I against Mad Kings, Balrogs successfully bounced back. The team started with a victory against Ukumari in a series that turned out to be way close than expected, at least in game one.
Even though Balrogs had hardly any problems in Game 2, the first one was full of amazing plays. Fortunately, the team’s more experience allowed it to control the match and eventually win
