MANILA, Aug. 8 (PNA)--Secret banked on a total team effort in the mid-game to eliminate Execration in the knockout stages of The International 7 DOTA 2 Championship at the Key Arena in Seattle on Tuesday (Philippine Time).
Zheng Yeik Nai's Templar Assassin got the better of Ryan Qui's Shadow Fiend in the battle of the middle lane, and it spelled doom for Execration as Secret launched as 15-1 run that turned the win-or-go-home lower bracket showdown around.
Quickly getting the mid-game stability he needed, Zheng turned his attention to the bottom lane, where Clement Ivanov's Witch Doctor and Maurice Gutmann's Batrider were having a hard time containing Nando Mendoza's Lycan and RR Peñano's Silencer, and a great teamwork from Secret scored for the team five kills in just a minute with Zheng achieving a dominating streak.
James Pataloton (Clockwerk) would snap Zheng's streak, but it paved the way for Pyo No-A's Phantom Lancer to steal the show, leading Secret to four kills with him getting three for the killing spree.
Secret continued pummeling Execration, and it even saw Ivanov and Yazied Jaradat (Rubick) scoring killing sprees despite using support heroes.
Execration found some ray of light when Pataloton and Peñano ended Ivanov and Jaradat's streaks respectively, but Pyo could never be denied, getting three kills as the entire Execration draft was wiped out in the said clash.
Mendoza ended Pyo's wicked sick streak, but it turned out to be Execration's final hurrah as Pyo and Zheng quickly rebuilt their killing sprees and Secret got a 5-0 clash win, forcing Execration to call GG in the 34th minute.
Secret is now assured of a Top 12 finish and at least USD358,638 (a little over PHP18 million) worth of winnings with the said victory. The club will next face Liquid, which was relegated to the lower bracket following a 1-2 loss to Invictus in their upper bracket playoffs earlier Tuesday (Philippine Time), in a best-of-three series for survival.
Execration, on the other hand, will take home USD119,546 (around PHP6 million) for ending up at joint 13th place in its first time making the main event.
Execration's ouster leaves TNC as the lone Filipino team left in the running for TI7. TNC will begin its playoff bid in the upper bracket playoffs against LGD-Forever Young on Wednesday (Philippine Time). (ISS/PNA)
