There’s a huge obstacle blocking their way and it’s not Aster
Image via Mars Media
TNC Predator is just about to kick off their playoff campaign at The Chongqing Major, but somehow, it seems like their fate has long been sealed.
That’s because so far into the tournament, only the classic TNC was able to show up. I’m pertaining to the team that is infamous for their inability to capitalize on a lead. It’s the TNC that showed up during their third game against Virtus.pro, and again on the second game versus EHOME.
This TNC is showing up at the second Major tournament of the season not because of Kuku’s absence. As a matter of fact, the perfect example of the classic TNC happened in the lower bracket of The International 2018 against Mineski-Dota. It’s the TNC that lost a game after only two team fights even though they had a 17,000 gold lead at some point. That TNC.
Just like their last two Valve-sanctioned Dota 2 tournaments, TNC’s first main event game will be a do-or-die showdown in the lower bracket. They are not as fortunate as they were at The Kuala Lumpur Major, because this time, even though they can get past China’s Aster, it’s going to be Team Liquid that’s waiting for them.
It was during the China Supermajor, the last Major tournament of the 2017-18 Dota Pro Circuit, that the all-Filipino Dota 2 squad was able to meet up against The International 2017 grand champions in a best-of-three series. The bout was uncontested and TNC Predator wasn’t even able to put up much of a fight. It was as if TNC never beat Team Liquid in a best-of-one at the Dota 2 Asia Championships 2018.
VOD via StarLadder Dota 2
But even if TNC Predator had a favorable historical record against their would be opponents, Team Liquid still won’t be their greatest obstacle at The Chongqing Major, or any tournament that they will attend to in the future. It is still going to be themselves and their inability to recognize and capitalize on their leads.
The Philippines’ brand of Dota has already grown past its hyper-aggressive stage. We’re way past the time when kills are the only things that matter. Talent has never been an issue too, TNC Predator has proved through multiple iterations that our Filipino delegates are world-class. With the level of competition only getting fiercer, this time is the right time to re-introduce Filipino Dota.
As a fan of good Dota, comeback games are always a thing of beauty. Just thinking about their unbreakable mental fortitude and unwavering team spirit is already enough for my jaw to drop. But as a fan of TNC Predator, watching wins slowly turn into a bitter defeat is utterly heartbreaking.
I hope I don’t get my heart broken by TNC Predator tomorrow.
