Five years later, Nigma beats OG to qualify for The International 2025
As a dedicated fan, I’ve witnessed the evolutions in our gaming scene: Kuroky transitioning to coaching, Miracle hanging up his competitive boots, and W33 diving full-throttle into streaming. Yet, amidst these changes, the unwavering passion of Nigma has remained constant. This is the tale of a team that faced a five-year absence from The International – yet, they never lost their drive to qualify.
In essence, it’s much like the previous Dota 2 tournament, The International 9, but we find ourselves in the year 2025. Johan “N0tail” Sundstein has transitioned into the role of coach for OG, while Kuro “KuroKy” Salehi Takhasomi now coaches Nigma Galaxy. The rivalry between these two teams remains as fierce and intense as ever. One highly anticipated match took place during the Western Europe Closed Qualifiers, with the winning team securing a slot for the TI 2025 tournament.
Nigma’s story of resilience culminated in a 2-1 win over OG. After five years as a team, GH and Kuro can now proudly claim that they have returned to The International. Let me tell you how they managed it.
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Originally, OG entered the tournament following a tough loss. However, they had been on a victorious spree until they encountered NaVi Jr in the Upper Bracket finals, which resulted in defeat. Consequently, they found themselves up against what many consider to be the strongest Nigma Galaxy team of recent years.
Game #1: Nigma overpowers OG from the first minute
Without the horn’s blast even echoing, Nigma swiftly exchanged his Marci for an impressive four kills against Bane, Doom, Enchantress, and Void Spirit. Additionally, they managed to grab three bounty runes, establishing a substantial gold advantage right from the game’s start.
Previously, OG utilized Void Spirit in a different role, but this time they positioned him in the mid-lane alongside StormStormer. Regardless, an early onslaught resulted in heavy casualties that proved too difficult to overcome. Nigma Galaxy maintained control of the map through swift Io and Marci rotations, and within 27 minutes, OG’s first match for TI 2025 qualifiers had concluded. With another loss, they were one step closer to elimination.
Game #2: Drow is scary, but Doom is scarier
In the second game, OG abandoned the Void Spirit strategy and opted for an entirely new draft instead. The match began equally balanced, with both teams exchanging gold and kills, but eventually, OG managed to seize the upper hand.
At the 27-minute mark, their total assets surpassed 12,000 units primarily due to Doom’s extraordinary farming efforts. However, when things seemed hopeless, Nigma Galaxy demonstrated that they still had some tricks up their sleeves.
In simpler terms, they lured OG’s team into a fight, protected the time when Roshan (a powerful in-game boss) respawned, and prolonged the game so that they could regain some of their disadvantage.
Nevertheless, OG maintained their composure throughout the game. It wasn’t until Nigma let down their defenses that OG seized the opportunity, capturing Tony “No!ob” Assaf’s Centaur – their strongest card for pushing forward – and securing the victory to force a Game 3.
Game #3: Nigma proves they deserve The International 2025 over OG
The deciding match emphasized expertise, cooperation, and mental fortitude. OG, being relatively fresh, stands opposite to Nigma Galaxy, who have been striving for a breakthrough for more than a year. Additionally, this is the first time their organization will appear at TI in five years – a span without KuroKy gracing Dota 2’s main stage.
The match was filled with intense emotions, particularly as Daniel “Ghost” Chan performed exceptionally well. He’s filling in for Amer “Miracle-” Al-Barkawi who is currently on a health leave. In this game, Ghost’s indestructible Sven provided some unforgettable moments, such as when he withstood a four-man attack long enough for his team to reverse the battle.
But even Ghost is human. His few misplays gave OG their only real chance at a comeback.
In a prolonged match, Team OG aimed to keep it going, but Team Nigma had a strategy designed to wrap it up. When N0tail’s group exhausted their buyback options, the Middle Eastern team aggressively pressed for the win.
With their victory against OG, Nigma managed to overcome their streak of bad luck and secured a spot at The International 2025. Now, a fresh storyline unfolds.
What’s next for The International 2025?
A lot of beautiful stories are about to unfold:
- Ame’s last shot at the crown
- KuroKy’s return after five long years
- The first time since TI5 that a 16-year-old could lift the Aegis
- Another TI without Puppey and Arteezy. Sad reactions only.
- Three teams filled with three-time hopefuls… and more
Make sure to follow how every one of these stories unfolds in our Dota 2 section!
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2025-06-18 00:41