A thrilling start to Group A of the Riyadh Masters 2022 saw TSM and Team Liquid battle it out in two close contests, with the former emerging victorious. TSM held its own in the crucial moments and won 2-0 against Team Liquid, which is playing this tournament with Anathan "ana" Pham in place of Lasse "MATUMBAMAN" Urpalainen. Liquid picked ana's signature Spectre in the first game, and it was a tight affair, but TSM's stellar teamfight execution sealed the win in the late game. It was no less intense in the second game with Enzo "Timado" O'Connor once again leading the networth chart and his Divine Rapier picks helped TSM sneak in the win in the end despite Liquid's resiliency.
Team Liquid vs TSM: Match recap and highlights
Recap
In game 1, for the opening 20 minutes, both sides were able to find kills and farm on their heroes. Timado's Terrorblade stood out during this time period because of his ability to farm rapidly with his Illusions. As a result, he far outstripped everyone else in the networth table. Despite Liquid's stronger teamfight picks, SabeRLight- was a menace on Night Stalker, preventing Liquid from executing its massive teamfight skills in the desired manner. TSM was in the lead, but Liquid consistently came back with crucial kills that kept it afloat. Only after 53 minutes was TSM able to break down Liquid's defense and win the first game.
In game 2, Liquid chose Night Stalker in the first phase, likely in response to TSM's selection of Puck. Bounty Hunter for SabeRLight- was another intriguing choice for TSM. The team pushed ahead with superb tactics after a pretty level laning stage, hoping to take the second game with fair ease. However, Liquid, headed by miCKe's Night Stalker, assisted the team in recovering and even taking the networth lead at one point. TSM, on the other hand, was not spooked by the opponent's comeback and continued to play its draft to its full potential. Timado's Aghanim Scepter on Templar Assassin allowed him to be a thorn in Liquid's side, and TSM won the game in 62 minutes thanks to cheeky pickoffs and solid placement in teamfights.
Highlights
Here are some highlights of the series.
While it is still the first series of the Riyadh Masters 2022, TSM certainly showed signs of regaining its form. The team had been a spectacle to watch when it finished second at the Stockholm Major 2022 but faltered in the recently concluded Tour 3 of the Dota Pro Circuit (DPC) 2021-22 to finish fourth.
AFK Gaming
With ana filling in, it will be interesting to see how Liquid drafts this event. In spite of the fact that both ana and MATUMBAMAN are extremely potent carry players, each has a different range of heroes at their disposal. Furthermore, the team’s strategies will also be formulated keeping in mind the Major in Arlington in a couple of weeks, where it must perform well in order to secure a direct invitation to The International 11.
In the Riyadh Masters 2022, Liquid will next play against Nigma Galaxy on 20th July while TSM plays Nigma on 21st July.
