Cover-Credits:
The International 2022 (TI11) continued to provide upset after upsets as Boom Esports defeated heavy favorites Team Spirit in the first round of the Lower Bracket. The Southeast Asian (SEA) team had a turn of form lately, as it managed to qualify to the Main Event playoffs in the lower bracket despite its horrendous run in the group stage.
While Team Spirit were viewed as the heavy favorites to win as the team are the current defending champions, Boom Esports managed to defeat the Eastern Europe team to eliminate them from the tournament.
This match had some extra spice to it since Team Spirit’s carry player Illya "Yatoro" Mulyarchuk called BOOM Esports players “mediocre” in an interview in May 2022.
Boom Esports sends the TI10 Champions home
The last time Boom Esports faced the defending champions was at the PGL Arlington Major during the group stage where the SEA team drew against Team Spirit. However, Team Spirit managed to win the Major after an incredible Grand Finals against PSG.LGD.
While Team Spirit comfortably secured its spot at the Main Event of TI11 during the group stage, Boom Esports had a horrendous group stage as it did not manage to win a single game until the final day, where it managed to defeat top of the group Evil Geniuses and defied all odds to secure qualification to the Main Event as it defeated both Soniqs & BetBoom Team in tiebreakers.
While many heavily favored Team Spirit to prevail in the best of one, others predicted that Boom Esports could provide another upset in Day One of the Main Event playoffs.
Match Recap
Boom Esports drafted its comfort picks, as it drafted Saieful "Fbz" Ilham’s signature Mars and Marci for Timothy "Tims" Randrup while Team Spirit went for Lifestealer, Leshrac and an offlane Outworld Destroyer for Magomed "Collapse" Khalilov.
The laning phase was even between both teams, however it was Boom Esports who were setting the early tempo as the team found several pickoffs onto Team Spirit while also claiming the first Roshan of the game at 20 minutes.
Going into the late game, Boom Esports did not let up as it had a 10k net worth advantage. Despite Team’s Spirit’s attempt to defend its base, Boom Esports did not stop its ruthless aggression as they claimed the series after 40 minutes, eliminating the defending champions from TI11.
Following the series, Team Spirit will be eliminated from TI11 as it could no longer defend its title in Singapore following the defeat. Boom Esports on the other hand, will move on to face PSG.LGD in the next round of the Lower Bracket.
