The International 14 enters it's penultimate day and for some teams the dream of lifting the aegis is over. Xtreme Gaming send Nigma Galaxy packing, after a convincing 2-0 victory that left no doubt which team was in top form.
The victory solidifies a top four finish for Xtreme Gaming, a step up from last year's sixth place, as well as a return to form for the Chinese scene.
Xtreme Gaming avenge China's loss to Nigma Galaxy
Face Washed. Nigma Eliminated. (Credit: Valve).The two teams took very different roads leading up to their match-up. Xtreme Gaming crushed the group stage teams, and continued the trend with a decisive victory over Tundra Esports. They did fall to tournament favorites Parivision though, citing some to question the impact the long break had on the squad.
Nigma Galaxy on the other hand struggled throughout the event. They squeaked by the group stage and then managed to defeat Aurora in a nail-biting series. Nigma continued to give their fans anxiety with a long series against BetBoom Team that ultimately didn't go their way.
Nigma bounced back by sending Team Tidebound home. With another Chinese squad on the horizon, hopes were... well...tepid at least that Nigma could make it to top four.
What followed was an absolute beatdown, as Xtreme took both games without breaking a sweat. It was a little sad to see Nigma struggle but in the end, they still secured a top six finish in their first International event as an organization.
Despite the loss, the players of Nigma Galaxy showed nothing but gratitude for their success. Maroun "GH" Merhej thanked the crowd for cheering him on and the other players for their incredible plays.
"I'm extremely grateful to be here in the first place. It's such an honour, such a great experience to be surrounded by so many great players."
With only two series standing in their way, can Xtreme Gaming make their way to the grand finals? and will this be the year that Wang "Ame" Chunyu finally puts his name on the aegis, after so many near misses?
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Featured Image Source: Valve
