Dota 2 TI9: Must-read stories from day three of the knockout stage

China is on a roll, OG and EG delivered in a rematch of last year’s grudge match, and a little known South American squad is somehow still kicking after day three of The International.

Three down, three to go. Only three days of Dota 2 action remain in this year’s International in Shanghai. During day three, two more teams were sent home, while two teams advanced to the upper bracket finals, thus guaranteeing at least a third place finish.

Homecrowd advantage

The Shanghai crowd has a great chance to be extra loud on Sunday, as three Chinese teams are still in the running to life the Aegis at home.

PSG.LGD has looked near unstoppable in Shanghai, as they didn’t lose a single series during the group stage (five wins, three draws) and haven’t lost a single game during playoffs. On day three they faced their fellow countrymen in Vici Gaming in the upper bracket. 

PSG.LGD have mastered the art of slow momentum, building a lead slowly over a game, and have excelled at putting Wang ‘Ame’ Chunyu into a great position to carry the team late in matches.

Vici drops to the lower bracket and awaits the winner of Team Secret and Mineski, while Royal Never Give Up will face Team Liquid. RNG are certainly a surprise to still see in the tournament, aided by what has now become the traditional Virtus.Pro TI collapse. 

• Read more: How to watch The International 2019

All three Chinese teams will certainly have the crowd support going forward.

OG vs EG: the rematch

While the Chinese crowd didn’t want to see two of their favorites against each other in the upper bracket, everyone certainly was looking forward to the other upper bracket match: OG vs Evil Geniuses in a repeat of last year’s upper bracket second round. And oh baby these two did not disappoint.

• Read more: Dota 2 caster Capitalist’s hilarious reaction to insane TI9 play

Evil Geniuses looked dead set on revenge early on, not letting OG out of the gates to begin the series, and wrapping up game one in just half an hour. OG came out firing in game two with their own quick pace, taking control early and never letting go. Like last year, we were headed to a game three.

EG took an early lead, but allowed OG to stay alive and take the lead back around the 15 minute mark, and OG would ride on the shoulders of an unstoppable Anathan ‘ana’ Pham to carry them into the upper bracket finals against PSG.LGD.

Make yourself Infamous, kid

OG made it clear that they are no longer a Cinderella team, they’re contenders. But another unlikely team has risen up in its place, Infamous. Infamous certainly has had their backs against the wall in the bracket, starting in the lower bracket and facing a beloved Chinese team in Keen Gaming, then against a team playing for a well known Chinese organization in Newbee.

Against Newbee, Infamous let Hector Antonio “K1” Rodriguez go to work on Wraith King, as he was a dominant force in the game one and game three victories that sent the South American squad to the next round.

With a guaranteed top eight finish, Infamous has secured the best placing at an International by a South American squad ever. They face a daunting task in Team Secret on day four.