Hello again to EGamersWorld.
We continue our coverage of the group stage matches of The International 2023. We're looking at the Basket B matches, where the last match of the first round is in the spotlight.
Closing out the first round of matches will be Shopify Rebellion. For the Americans the game will be their debut, but Thunder Awaken will play against BB Team before they meet Shopify Rebellion.
Either way it's a very important match. It seems that this year at The International 2023 there are no passing matches, which is a good thing.
We are trying to find out how the next Bo2 encounter in the group stage of The International 2023 will end and if anyone will be able to improve their position in the standings.
Let's go.
Shopify Rebellion Form
Let's open the match analysis with the analysis of Shopify Rebellion's form, who will play in the status of favourites in this game. All thanks to the successful completion of the season.
On the home stage, Shopify Rebellion have twice finished in the top 2. In the third round, Arteezy and company finally snatched the championship.
At The Lima Major 2023, Shopify Rebellion made it to the top 4. The top three were prevented, unexpectedly, by Talon Esports.
In addition to The Lima Major 2023, the team played at DreamLeague Season 19, and they played even better than the Peruvian major. Cooler because they played with substitutes (the inexperienced Mikey played as a substitute for Abed) and reached the top 3 of the tournament for $1,000,000.
Then there was The Berlin Major 2023 with a dismal top-12, and then the third round of DPC 2023: NA Division 1. The latter went better: SR took the top spot, guaranteeing themselves passage to The Bali Major 2023, and actually made it to The International 2023.
- Shopify Rebellion roster: Arteezy, Abed, SaberLight, Cr1t, Fly.
At DreamLeague Season 20 SR again played with substitutes, but this time they failed to repeat the success of the DL S19 period: Shopify Rebellion failed to pass the first group stage of the DL and, like Liquid, left the championship early.
After the 20th season of DreamLeague Shopify Rebellion played two major events: Bali Major 2023 and Riyadh Masters 2023. Both championships ended miserably: TOP-12 and TOP-16 respectively.
The International is more interesting than Shopify's position at DreamLeague Season 21. Having fallen into Group A to such serious opponents as Liquid and Talon. Nevertheless, Shopify Rebellion took the first place in their basket, thereby advancing to the top of the play-offs.
In the first play-offs match of DreamLeague Season 21 Shopify Rebellion had to mobilise all the knowledge and all the skill to defeat the Eastern European residents from BB Team. The match ended with the score 2-1 in favour of Shopify, and Arteezy for the first time in a long time gave not a meme highlite, but a game-changing moment.
In the match to advance to the DL S21 SR Ledge and Team Spirit, but later again outplayed BB in the lower grid match. However, it was not possible to take revenge from Spirit in the grand finals: "dragons" easily slammed Shopify Rebellion with a score of 3-0, and Arteezy and company took the top 2.
Shopify Rebellion's most popular heroes
Shopify Rebellion is most often played by Crystal Maiden (8 matches, 62% wins), Storm Spirit (7 matches, 57% wins), Doom (7 matches, 57% wins).
There was also Rubick (5 matches, 80% win rate), Terrorblade (4 matches, 75% wins), Underlord (4 matches, 75% wins).
Thunder Awaken Form
We continue our match review with an analysis of Thunder Awaken's match form. They are number two again, as they were in the match against BB Team.
In the first season Thunder Awaken played worse than expected. Then the club took only 3 maps out of 7, which did not allow them to rise above the top 5.
However, in the case of Thunder Awaken this result is not bad. The team kept their place in the top division, which is already great.
Further, they improved their performance. In the second cycle of DPC 2023: SA Upper Division, Thunder Awaken climbed to the third line, Ledge only to the main competitors for the victory in general - beastcoast and Evil Geniuses. Basically, they are now close to repeating the result.
- Thunder Awaken roster: Knight, SLATEM$, ILICH, n1ght, Mjz .
In addition to the DPC ranking ecosystem, the team has played outside of its format, but local tournaments in the 1XPLORE LATAM series, where they won twice, but the main focus is still on the league.
At DPC 2023: SA Division 1 Tour 3 Thunder Awaken Thunder Awaken made it to the top 3, which, however, was not enough to advance to Bali Major 2023.
After the third round, DPC won 1XPLORE LATAM #4, EPL World Series: America Season 5, and Phygital Gamers 2023 Season 2.
Thunder Awaken's opening match was against Balrogs. The warm-up was successful as Thunder Awaken shut out Balrogs 2-0.
In the match to advance to the finals of The International 2023 - South America, Thunder Awaken played against Keyd Stars. Being the favourite of the encounter, Thunder lost rather unexpectedly, thus distancing themselves from the promised pre-Long Sogpeg qualifying slot for The International 2023.
Thunder Awaken played against Qhali in the semi-finals of the lower grid. In that match, TA should have had no trouble in dealing with their vis-a-vis, but they had to struggle and it turned into a full-fledged Bo3.
After losing to Keyd Stars in the match to qualify for The International 2023, Thunder Awaken cameback in the lower grid and, not without problems, but got through here.
Thunder Awaken will face BB Team in their first match at The International 2023. In that match, we predicted them a pretty quick defeat.
The most popular Thunder Awaken heroes
The most frequent guest in Thunder Awaken picks is Crystal Maiden. The character has appeared 15 times, while having a winrate of 60%.
Besides CM honours Dawnbreaker (11 games, 81% win rate), Zeus (9 games, 44% win rate), Marci (9 games, 33% win rate), Nyx Assassin (8 games, 62% win rate).
History of head-to-head meetings
Previously, the teams have not played each other in head-to-head meetings.
Predicted result of Shopify Rebellion vs Thunder Awaken at The International 2023
Thunder Awaken look a little bit overweight in Group B. They look like the first and so far only contender to be eliminated from The International 2023 as early as the group stage.
If Shopify Rebellion maintain the same form as they did at DreamLeague Season 21, I'm sure they'll have no problem taking the series against Thunder.
Bottom line: Shopify Rebellion wins.
