The WCA 2015 playoffs stage have now commenced. Eight teams advanced into the playoffs – Team Empire, Wings Gaming, LGD, Leviathan, TnC, CDEC, Team Liquid and Alliance. By the end of the day CDEC, Leviathan, TnC and Team Empire were eliminated. Alliance and LGD will move directly to the Grand finals while Wings Gaming and Team Liquid will compete in the third place decider December 20th-21st.
Eight of the original sixteen teams competed in the WCA 2015 playoffs stage earlier today. The teams – Team Empire, Wings Gaming, LGD, Leviathan, TnC, CDEC, Team Liquid and Alliance had been seeded into the brackets based on their groupstage performances.
The WCA 2015 LAN groupstage started out two days with groups C and D debuting the new 6.86 patch. Teams had adapted to the changes and immediately started adding in new heroes and strategies.
The second day started out business as usual. Things started to get interesting as Team Secret were eliminated from the event much earlier than expected. Then only hours before the event, Newbee forfeit their matches and resulted in a three way race for Group B.
Today proved to be quite exciting as Alliance eliminated CDEC, showing their new roster has renewed a past synergy and cohesion. Wings Gaming has continued to emerge as the dark horse and push forward to the finals with determination. Team Liquid has been looking strong with many of their favorite heroes receiving extra attention and play time in the new patch.
However, in the end it would be LGD gaming and Alliance to show their true domination and talent as they head in to the Grand Finals.
WCA 2015 playoffs recap
WCA 2015 playoffs quarter finals
Kuroky, at ESL One Frankfurt. Credits: Patrick Strack/ ESL
The dark horse of the event, Wings Gaming were able to defeat Team Leviathan 2:1. The North American hopefuls put up a fight to be the success story of the event. Having had secured their place in the playoffs after Newbee’s withdrawal provided an opening, they were then matched up against the impressive Chinese rising stars. Wings Gaming stomped all over Leviathan in only 22 minutes with a score of 21:5 in the first game. Leviathan fought back long and hard in the second game to take the victory in 54 minutes and forced a deciding third game. The Chinese team was undeterred in their journey to reach the finals as they easily seized the last game.
Armed with Henrik “AdmiralBulldog” Ahnberg’s Nature’s Prophet, Alliance bested CDEC 2:1. The first game went in favor of Alliance as AdmiralBulldog was able to build Power Treads and Vanguard only 11 minutes on Bristleback, making him unstoppable. The second game went to CDEC, when they took the lead after the midgame and were able to snowball to the end. Sun “Agressif” Zheng had done outstanding on Gyrocopter being double the net-worth of Alliance’s most farmed hero and having a score of 11:3:12. The deciding game 3 was all Alliance with Bulldog’s Nature’s prophet going 10:1:10 and a Keeper of the Light pick for Joakim “Akke” Akterhall.
Team Liquid, which has been point on this series, swept through TNC 2:0. . In two very heavily sided games in favor of the Europeans, Team Liquid continues to dominate. Jesse “JerAx” Vainikka was able to once again show his skills on his famed Earth Spirit and Adrian “FATA-“ Trinks has continued to delight with his Invoker, recently buffed.
LGD Gaming bested Team Empire 2:1 to give China two candidates for the Championship title. After falling to the CIS team in only 28 minutes during the first game, LGD then came back in the second game with a convincing victory. Gyrocopter and Lina continued to be strong heroes for the Chinese team with them both being featured in two games each. The last deciding game between the two teams was a complete push over with LGD taking the victory in 32 minutes with a score of 14:4.
WCA 2015 playoffs semi finals
Alliance headed to the semi finals next to face Wings Gaming. With perfect execution and fantastic game play, the Swedish squad easily took the first game in only 21 minutes. The second game took much longer to secure, extending to the one hour mark. Alliance were still able to take the victory with patience and control, keeping the Chinese team inline. With the 2:0 victory, Alliance became the first team to advance to the play offs and Wings Gaming will compete in the third place decider series.
Team Liquid and LGD went head to head in the semi finals. While Team Liquid were looking to be top notch condition going into the series and had taken first in their group, LGD destroyed the European team in a matter of minutes. The first game was LGD’s right from the beginning. Liquid never had a chance against Liu “Sylar” Jiajun’s perfect juggernaut and lost in 33 minutes. The second game lasted a bit longer but was equally as brutal with an end score of 40:9 in 44 minutes. Jerax’s earth spirit couldn’t help them against Sylar and Lu “Maybe” Yao on Ember Spirit. LGD swept through Team Liquid 2:0 and will face Alliance in the grand finals.
Feature Photo courtesy of Lawrence “MalystryxGDS” Phillips; Alliance photo courtesy of KellyMilkies
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