PSG.LGD show off vs. Invictus Gaming at WeSave! Charity Play

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PSG.LGD and Invictus Gaming met in the first round of the Dota 2 WeSave! Charity Play event. It looked to be a slight return to form for PSG.LGD, who beat out IG in a clean 2-0.

The two organizations represent two titans of the Chinese Dota 2 scene. While PSG.LGD have been the more successful one recently, earning a second and third at The International 2018 and 2019 respectively, IG are one of three Chinese clubs to have ever won the event in 2012 but have fallen by the wayside in recent years.

Conversely, PSG.LGD have been lackluster this season and IG have exceeded expectations. PSG.LGD’s experienced roster has been shaken up multiple times this year due to their inability to break free from the open qualifiers while IG’s upstart young roster has been on the rise, now on the cusp of breaking into the upper echelons of teams.

In spite of PSG.LGD’s recent string of results, the new roster, with Chalice now responsible for the carry role, looked like the titans of old. The squad gave no quarter, dispatching their opponents with ease. It was the sort of performance that the team had been sorely lacking thus far this Dota Pro Circuit season.

The first game saw PSG.LGD going ahead early even with a Spectre lineup, a notoriously poor early-game hero. IG were not quite ready to give up, however, putting up a decent fight in the mid-game to bring it back into their favor. PSG.LGD closed it out with nerves of steel, however, calmly dismantling IG’s push and swiftly turning the tables.

Game two was an even more clinical display from PSG.LGD. The crew handed Somnus his signature Ember Spirit, and he duly rewarded his team with a virtuoso performance. In spite of a tough lane matchup vs. Zhou “Emo” Yi’s Morphling, the superstar was on fire, rotating and securing key kills for his team. Captain fy was with him every step of the way, dominating on an atypical but effective Windranger support.

The WeSave! Charity Play event is a non-profit tournament with an initial prize pool of $120,000. None of the money is going to the teams, however, but will instead go toward charity in a bid to fight the COVID-19 pandemic.

For PSG.LGD, there’s nothing but bragging rights for winning. But for a team that has so far looked entirely divorced from their dominant form in the years past, a little morale might be just what they needed to bounce back and contest the rest of the season.