Team Yandex sweep NAVI 3-0 to win PGL Wallachia Season 9 and arrive at BLAST Slam as the form team

The first trophy of the 2026–27 Dota 2 season belongs to Team Yandex. They swept Natus Vincere 3-0 in the PGL Wallachia Season 9 grand final on 27 September, taking the US$300,000 first prize from a US$1 million pool, GosuGamers reports.

It is Yandex's second Wallachia title of the year. They also won Season 7 in March 2026, and they finished in the top three at The International 2026.

Three games, one direction

NAVI, who earned US$175,000 as runners-up, had real chances in the final, but Yandex closed out every game:

• Game 1 (25 minutes): Yandex won the kill count 27-9. Alimzhan "Watson" Islambekov went 10/1/4, and new offlaner Ammar "ATF" Al-Assaf finished 6/1/11 on Razor.
• Game 2 (44 minutes): The comeback of the series. NAVI led by about 10,000 gold at the 20-minute mark, but Watson's Io (12 kills, 13 assists) and ATF's Centaur Warrunner (10 kills, 20 assists, one death) turned it around.
• Game 3 (27 minutes): A 25-7 kill advantage sealed it. Watson played Sven, and Ilya "CHIRA_JUNIOR" Chirtsov added 7 kills and 10 assists on Invoker.

ATF's instant impact

This was ATF's first event with Yandex after his move from Team Falcons. Esports.gg singled him out as the dominant player of the final, saying he consistently outfarmed his opponents and made space for his carry. His only wobble came in Game 2, when he nearly bought a Daedalus on Centaur Warrunner before changing his mind.

Yandex dropped only two games in the whole event: one to MOUZ in the group stage and one to Aurora Gaming in the upper-bracket semi-finals.

A tier-two title, and the team knows it

Wallachia Season 9 was a tier-two event. Several leading teams sat it out, including TI champions Team Spirit, runners-up PARIVISION, Team Liquid and BetBoom Team, Esports.gg notes. The tournament ran from 19 to 27 September, and its field was confirmed only three days before it started because it came so soon after The International.

Captain Martin "Saksa" Sazdov acknowledged that the team "still has more to prove" against the "big boys", according to Esports.gg.

Group-stage top eight

The modified Swiss group stage sent these eight teams to the playoffs:

1. Team Yandex (3-0)
2. Xtreme Gaming (3-0)
3. Natus Vincere (3-1)
4. Aurora Gaming (3-1)
5. GamerLegion (3-1)
6. Team Nemesis (3-2)
7. LGD Gaming (3-2)
8. 1w Team (3-2)

Next up: BLAST Slam VIII

Yandex have little time to celebrate. BLAST Slam VIII, the first Tier 1 event since TI 2026, starts its online group stage on 29 September. The US$750,000 event finishes with LAN playoffs in Malta from 8 to 11 October. Hawk Live's bracket puts Yandex in Group C with BetBoom Team, MOUZ and OG. That group includes a MOUZ side that has already beaten them once this month.

For Southeast Asian fans, the storyline to watch in Malta is Team Liquid. Malaysia's MidOne stands in at mid for Liquid, who are in Group D.

Key takeaways

• Team Yandex beat NAVI 3-0 in the PGL Wallachia Season 9 final on 27 September.
• The title was worth US$300,000, and NAVI took US$175,000.
• New offlaner ATF starred on his debut event, and Yandex came back from about 10,000 gold behind in Game 2.
• Yandex go straight into BLAST Slam VIII, which starts on 29 September.

FAQ

How many PGL Wallachia titles have Team Yandex won? Two in 2026: Season 7 in March and Season 9 in September.

Why was Wallachia Season 9 called a tier-two event? It used direct invitations only, and several top teams, including TI champions Team Spirit, did not take part.

Who did Yandex lose games to? MOUZ in the group stage and Aurora Gaming in the upper-bracket semi-finals.

Sources: GosuGamers, Esports.gg, Hawk Live