After a stunning clean sweep over Team Aster in the grand final, OG has been crowned the ESL One Malaysia 2022 champions. Aster entered the grand final as the favorites with an undefeated record in the playoffs, but OG’s momentum from lower bracket proved too much for it. Although Aster produced some spectacular plays in all three games, it was not able to complete the turnaround and win. OG’s other four players have been incredible this year, but it was remarkable to see how well coach Evgenii “Chuvash” Makarov performed as the team’s stand-in player throughout the entire event.
OG wins $175,000 USD as the winner while Aster takes home $85,000 as the runner-up.
OG vs Team Aster: Match recap and highlights
Recap
Game 1 was an explosive start to the grand final. Even though there was little interaction between the two sides, when they did, it was a treat to watch. OG was crushing Aster in the farm game, but thanks to Xxs’ Black Hole, Aster was able to stay in the game. However, as the game progressed, OG performed admirably in prioritizing the targets required to win the teamfight, earning the first game victory in 46 minutes.
In game 2, Aster let Mars go for ATF once again, a hero on which he has been excelling during the playoffs. Aster struggled in the early stages, with all three lanes looking bleak, and trailed by 9k at the 17 minute mark. However, the team’s capacity to recover from deficits was on display. OG, on the other hand, was able to turn the game back its favor whenever it appeared that Aster was about to make a comeback. The game ended with a fantastic teamfight in which Monet, despite registering an incredible Rampage, was unable to turn the game around and OG won in 50 minutes.
In game 3, Aster got out to a better start with its heroes demonstrating a higher level of performance during the laning stage. But, despite his edge versus bzm’s Puck, Ori couldn’t assist his team snowball with his Tiny. Simultaneously, OG was good at dodging opponent ganks, and when it came to teamfights, the team’s superior skill just became apparent, and it won the game in 40 minutes.
Highlights
Here are some highlights of the series.
As the Dota Pro Circuit 2021-22 got underway, there were doubts over if the OG legacy would be preserved, but months down the road, the new squad has done more than enough, winning regional leagues and international events. It has been fascinating to see how well this roster has performed with not only Mikhail “Misha” Agatov but also Sébastien “Ceb” Debs and Chu as well.
Aster had a great tournament in both the group stages and playoffs, but the finishing touch was lacking for it to win the tournament. In the PGL Arlington Major earlier this month, the team had defeated OG and was eager to face it in today’s grand final, but OG has shown that it thrives under pressure and is not a team you would want to face in such a decisive match. Even so, Aster has proved in recent months that it has the gameplay and mental fortitude to do well in international competitions after being a top team in Chinese events but an average one in interregional ones.
The Dota 2 caravan now moves to The International 11’s qualifiers, which will be many teams’ final chance to advance to the biggest event of the year. The qualifiers begin on 3rd Sept.