PARI Universe: OG upset Team Spirit in upper-bracket quarter-final as all four Dota 2 openers go the distance
OG came from a map down to beat unbeaten group winners Team Spirit 2-1, sending them to the lower bracket. PARIVISION, Team Yandex and GamerLegion also won 2-1.
OG pulled off the upset of the PARI Universe playoffs on Wednesday, beating Team Spirit 2-1 in the upper-bracket quarter-finals of the online Dota 2 tournament. Spirit had won all four of their group-stage series and took the first map comfortably, but OG won the next two to send them into the lower bracket. Every quarter-final went to three maps, with PARIVISION, Team Yandex and GamerLegion also advancing.
How OG turned it around
Spirit's start suggested a routine win. They took the first map in 33 minutes 40 seconds and finished well ahead on kills. OG answered with a long second map that lasted just over 46 minutes and levelled the series. They then won the decider in a little over 36 minutes.
It was a big result for OG. In the groups, Spirit had beaten LEGION, BetBoom Team, Astra Invicta and PARIVISION, dropping only one map in four series. Defeat on Wednesday did not end their tournament, but it means they cannot afford another loss.
The other quarter-finals
The other three series were also close:
- PARIVISION 2-1 Team Liquid
- Team Yandex 2-1 Astra Invicta
- GamerLegion 2-1 LEGION
Team Yandex, who won Group A without losing a series, had to come through a deciding map against Astra Invicta. Astra Invicta and LEGION had only reached the playoffs through a Group B tiebreaker on Tuesday, which eliminated BetBoom Team. 1w Team, who finished bottom of Group A, were also eliminated before the playoffs.
Thursday's schedule
The second playoff day has four series. Two are upper-bracket semi-finals and two are lower-bracket elimination matches:
- Lower bracket: Team Liquid vs Astra Invicta
- Lower bracket: Team Spirit vs LEGION
- Upper semi-final: PARIVISION vs Team Yandex
- Upper semi-final: OG vs GamerLegion
The upper-bracket winners meet in the upper final on Saturday 31 October. The lower bracket continues on Friday and Saturday. The grand final is on Sunday 1 November and is the only best-of-five series. All earlier playoff matches are best-of-three. With the matches played in European hours, Thursday's series run from Malaysian afternoon into the early hours of Friday.
Prize money and format
PARI Universe is an online event run by FISSURE with PARI. It began with two five-team round-robin groups on 22 October, followed by an eight-team double-elimination playoff. The prize pool is US$250,000. The champions receive US$125,000, the runners-up US$50,000 and third place US$30,000. The two teams eliminated in the groups did not win prize money.
Key takeaways
- OG beat Team Spirit 2-1 after losing the first map, ending Spirit's unbeaten run.
- PARIVISION, Team Yandex and GamerLegion all won their quarter-finals 2-1.
- Spirit face LEGION in a lower-bracket elimination match on Thursday.
- The best-of-five grand final is on 1 November, with US$125,000 for the winner.
FAQ
Q: Is Team Spirit out of PARI Universe?
No. The playoffs are double elimination, so Spirit dropped into the lower bracket. Their next match is against LEGION, and the loser is eliminated.
Q: Where is PARI Universe being played?
It is an online tournament, organised by FISSURE in partnership with PARI. It runs from 22 October to 1 November.
Q: Who plays in the PARI Universe upper-bracket semi-finals?
PARIVISION face Team Yandex, and OG play GamerLegion. The winners meet in the upper final on 31 October.
Sources: Cybersport.ru, Hawk.live, Field Level Media, Hotspawn, Teamsmurf