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The end of the strongest Dota 2 team? Falcons out of DreamLeague Season 26

BBG News

Team Falcons are qualified for the EWC 2025. But are they ready for it?

At the PGL Wallachia Season 4, it was surprising that Team Falcons were eliminated from the DreamLeague Season 26 prior to the playoffs, as they had an impressive streak at the BLAST Slam 3, even reaching the grand final against Tundra. However, it seems there’s something amiss with the team that dominated tournaments in 2024.

In the group stage of their Bo2 matches, they managed to secure two victories and three draws, which wasn’t disappointing. However, suffering defeats against PARIVISION and Yakult Brothers with scores of 0-2 proved to be a setback from which they couldn’t recover. Their final match before the tiebreakers was against NaVi Jr, the team that had previously eliminated them at Wallachia. Although they didn’t manage to eliminate the Falcons themselves, a 1-1 draw was sufficient to force the Falcons into a tiebreaker against Gaimin Gladiators.

DreamLeague Season 26 tiebreakers: Gaimin Gladiators destroy Team Falcons in Game 3

For Gaimin Gladiators, the group stage wasn’t particularly stellar, given that they are currently in a rebuilding phase following Melchior “Seleri” Hillenkamp’s departure. Their new team includes Arman “Malady” Orazbayev, a talented young player from Kazakhstan, who has paired exceptionally well with Alimzhan “Watson” Islambekov. However, Malady lacks substantial experience in Tier 1 competitions.

However, it’s important to note that no one was at fault for the first game. The Falcons were determined to remain part of DreamLeague Season 26 and showcased this with a strong draft. While Ammar “ATF” Al-Assaf got to play his favored Viper, it was Wu “Sneyking” Jingjun’s powerful Abaddon that stood out. In just 31 minutes, the game seemed like it could be the Falcons’ best performance yet.

The Gaimin Gladiators exhibited their adaptability by doing something unexpected: providing support for Puck. Initially, it seemed like they were compelled to alter their laning choices swiftly to benefit “Quinn” Callahan. However, as Purge analyzed later, this was an incredibly shrewd move because it effectively thwarted ATF’s offlane Pango strategy.

With Nature’s Prophet chosen for Watson and an over 9k gold lead established by the 20-minute point, their aggressive split pushing and superior map control made it appear effortless to play Puck as a support character.

During DreamLeague Season 26, the third match for the tiebreakers proved particularly challenging for the Falcons. They experienced a critical mistake in their gameplay, but despite this fortunate error, they failed to seize any advantage. By the 15-minute point, the contest was decided, and by minute 25, following several unsuccessful attempts to capture Roshan, the match was effectively concluded.

Is Team Falcons making changes ahead of the Esports World Cup 2025?

After a year filled with ups and downs, it seems like we’re on the cusp of something great as a team. We’ve stood on the podium numerous times, proving our mettle against the toughest competition out there – Tier 1 opponents. Yet, our impressive EPT Points tally gives us the flexibility to make a strategic change without jeopardizing our direct invite. Here’s to more highs and victories in the future!

It seems unlikely that they’ll carry out the task at hand. With the teams for EWC 2025 and The International already set, and no clear culprit for the team’s performance, it’s probable that the prolonged game patch and the constant tournament schedule might have taken a toll on Falcons during their DreamLeague Season 26 competition. However, with the upcoming Dota 2 patch 7.39, they may find some much-needed refreshment to rebuild their strategy.

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2025-05-23 16:41

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