What could be described as the greatest underdog story in the history of Dota has come to an end. After toppling the giants of the competition, TNC’s unprecedented and legendary run through The International 2016 (TI6) has ended after they lost to fellow underdogs Digital Chaos (DC) 2-1 in the Lower Bracket. The Pinoy squad finishes at 7th place and will receive over $509,000. Our boys may be going home, but they will be going home as heroes.
Day 4 of TI6’s Main Event saw a clash between two of the tournament’s most successful underdogs, as TNC and DC fight over an assured Top 6 finish and the chance to go even deeper in the tournament.
Both teams tore down giants left and right leading up to this pivotal match. TNC narrowly missed qualifying for the Upper Bracket, as they swept some of the top Chinese teams in the Group Stages, and eliminated two-time Major champions and tournament favorites OG prior to facing DC. Meanwhile, DC blazed through the Group Stages and qualified for the Upper Bracket before being sent to the Lower Bracket by Wings Gaming, where they eliminated LGD to face TNC.
No one ever expected that these two teams would even be the ones fighting for Top 6, and yet there they were. In this clash of two underdogs turned giants, TNC struck first as they took Game 1 off the back of a stellar performance by Sam “Sam_H” Hidalgo. The Pinoy squad drafted an aggressive lineup, built around Batrider for Sam H, Morphling for Carlo “Kuku” Palad, and Drow Ranger for Marc Polo “Raven” Luis Fausto, to counter DC’s lategame lineup with a Naga Siren and Dragon Knight core duo. Sam H on Batrider turned the game heavily in TNC’s favor as his Batrider took over the early game, accumulating three kills and a ton of farm in the offlane, opening the game up for the rest of his team. With multiple key pickoffs on their opponents off the back of Sam H, TNC neutered DC’s lategame lineup and force the GG 39 minutes in.
Game 2 saw TNC on the defensive after DC were able to get the better draft, as DC’s heavy teamfight lineup with Elder Titan, Ancient Apparition, Ember Spirit, Magnus, and Faceless Void taking the fight to TNC’s lategame lineup centered on an Alchemist for Raven. TNC came under heavy assault from the get go, as DC continually ganked Raven on the midlane Alchemist and shut down Kuku’s offlane Timbersaw. While Raven was still able to lead the game in farm, DC were continually racking up kill after kill as they inched closer to TNC’s base. Despite a valiant defense, TNC was bowled over by DC’s superior teamfight lineup as they called the GG.
In the deciding Game 3, TNC picked up signature heroes for their core players, with Kuku again on Alchemist, Raven on Terrorblade, and Sam H on Faceless Void. Meanwhile, DC again drafted a teamfight-centric lineup with Sand King, Winter Wyvern, Slark, Mirana, and Dark Seer. TNC, seemingly forced out of their comfort zone, was again on the defensive as DC amped up the aggression once again. TNC were hemorrhaging kills as DC’s Roman “Resolut1on” Fominok on Slark and David “Moo” Hull on Dark Seer both racked up over 10 kills apiece. Kuku and Raven were never quite able to get the farm that TNC needed to fight back and the Pinoy squad were forced to concede 28 minutes in, ending their legendary run in TI6.
After defeating TNC, DC continued their stellar run by eliminating another tournament favorite, top Chinese team EHOME, and are now in contention for a Top 3 finish. Truly, TI6 was the year that the underdog teams rose to become giants.
As for TNC, they finish at 7th place and will be taking home over $509,000 or over a whopping P23,700,000. More than that, the Pinoy squad’s unprecedented rise from obscurity to a Top 8 finish in TI6, beating top teams such as Wings Gaming, LGD, and OG along the way, is something that can never be forgotten. TNC will be going home to the Philippines as heroes, and surely, their incredible journey will inspire thousands more to follow their path.
While TNC may have already exited the tournament, the Philippines is not out just yet. The country’s favorite son, Djardel Jicko B. “DJ” Mampusti, arguably the best Pinoy Dota player, and his team, Fnatic, have gone through Team Liquid and will be facing MVP Phoenix.
Stay tuned to Esports by Inquirer.net’s coverage of The International 2016 as the battle for the Aegis of Champions rages on!
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