After making history earlier this year by becoming the only team to win two Valve events, the boys from OG did it again, adding a third Major trophy to their tally at the Wang Theatre in Boston.
Before the tournament, OG were not that strongly fancied but as each game passed, they convinced observers they were in the groove and much improved following their reconstruction during the Fall Shuffle.
They began by winning a group featuring two Chinese teams with a score of 2-1 in both games, which put them in a strong position for the main event. With the new direct elimination format, OG faced underperforming MVP Phoenix who they brushed aside.
In the quarterfinals they faced unlikely opponents in the form of WG.Unity and despite a sluggish start, OG demonstrated championship mentality by winning two games in a row to advance.
A sterner test looked to lie ahead in the semis in the shape of EG who had eliminated favourites Wings Gaming and Virtus.Pro on their way to the last four. It was billed as a tough match but OG disposed of the TI 5 winners rather easily with a 2-0 victory to progress to the final and a clash with surprise finalists Ad Finem. OG once again outclassed their opponents and despite Ad Finem getting a breather after an almost 80-minute third game, OG closed the series 3-1 and bagged $1,000,000 in cash.
The Cogs of the winning well-oiled machine:
Tal “Fly” Aizik (support, captain and drafter). The influence of the captain in this team cannot be overestimated. After the Fall Shuffle, when the team lost three of its players, he was the one who rebuilt the squad. During the Boston Major, as a drafter, Fly was the main reason why OG steamrolled teams such as EG, slicing through their defences like a hot knife through butter. With his clever decision making in the drafting phase and his ability to outsmart opponents, OG would often gain the upper hand before the game had started with a superior lineup. He also had several notable individual performances, most notably as Dazzle against EG which made a significant difference.
Anathan “ana” Pham (mid). There was much debate as to whether ‘ana’ could replace superstar Amer “Miracle-” Al-Barkawi when he left the team. Competing for the first time in a big team, the young Australian’s transition was not an easy one, as his performances varied from solid to shaky. During the Major, however, he demonstrated stability throughout the event and could not be blamed whenever the team lost games. His influence was most evidently seen with playmaking heroes such as Invoker or Outworld Devourer, but he also blended in well in the team tactics with objectives based heroes, such as Dragon Knight.
Gustav “s4” Magnusson (offlaner). s4 was probably the biggest name to arrive in the team during the Fall Shuffle. The TI3 winner has a reputation of one of the best mid players on the scene, however, he found himself in a new role with OG as the offlaner. As expected of such a world class player, s4 did not take long to adapt to the role and he shone in Boston. He was entrusted with quite a few heroes and the performances that stood out were most often when he was on Batrider and Nyx Assassin.
Jesse “JerAx” Vainikka (roaming support). JerAx arrived from rivals Team Liquid in September and immediately assumed his favourite position 4 role. As with his previous team, Fly acknowledged his strengths as a space creator and was given a lot of freedom in the laning stage. If there were previously any doubts as to the extent of his skill, JerAx proved at Boston that he is indeed one of the best (if not THE best) in this position. Known for his Earth Spirit, he had the chance to play this hero in several of the games in Boston which made a big difference. His role was crucial for the team to win the early game and gain the upper hand after astute map rotation and well-timed ganks. His performance on the Mirana in the final also stood out.
Johan “N0tail” Sundstein (carry). Alongside Fly, N0tail is the other indispensable part of the core of OG. Although a versatile player who has played as a support in the past, most recently N0tail has been playing the hard carry role and has turned into one of the most stable performers in this position. “Consistency” is the word which best describes his contribution to the team in Boston. Whilst a strong personality outside of tournaments, he is able to curtail any exuberance and play steadily during tournaments, never risking anything too flashy.
N0tail remained true to his style throughout and delivered with heroes, such as Luna (5 wins without a loss), Juggernaute and Sven.
OG did not approach Boston as favourites but neither were they last year before winning their first Major in Frankfurt.
Once again OG have come out on top in a big one to sit at the top of the Dota 2 peak. Their success is a testament to a combination of astute drafting, great execution and shrewd decision making and they are deserved champions.
