eSports Star Series Season 3 Finals - Day 2

[r_Damn_Slow0 12,476]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E2XSyWWIxnw

 

The match started in Kungur.  PSYCHOS were prepared seriously for this match and didn't need much time to capture the first flag.  Soon, the second one was captured, followed by the third one, leaving no chance for ARCADE to take over.  ARCADE started the second round strong, capturing 5 flags and losing only 1, the perfect response to PSYCHOS' first strong round.  At this point in the overall match score was 1 - 1.

 

The next two rounds were played in Barda.  It took 3 minutes for PSYCHOS to capture the first flag of the round, but soon they captured two more, making it easy to guess the outcome of the round. The rounds in Barda were both won by PSYCHOS.

 

The 5^th round started in Parma, where both of the teams captured a flag in the first minutes which turned out to be the only captures in that round ending up in a 1 - 1 tie.

 

Final Score:-  ARCADE  1 : 3  PSYCHOS

[r_Damn_Slow0 12,476]

Match Log : [Time in UTC]

 

 

 

[17:11] The teams started crossing out:

The first map will be Kungur, second Barda and third Parma

 

[17:21] Begins Round 1 on Kungur 

[17:23] The first flag is captured by Psychos

[17:27] Arcade was close to capturing a flag, but failed.

[17:28] Psychos use Arcade's failed attack to capture one more flag during a counter-attack.

[17:30] Both flags are taken and returned. Psychos' second counter-attack lets them capture their third flag in the round.

[17:31] End of Round 1

Match Score : Arcade 0:1 Psychos

 

[17:33] Begins Round 2 on Kungur 

[17:35] Arcade captures the first flag in the second round. 

[17:35] Another flag is captured by Arcade.

[17:37] Psychos were close to capturing a flag, but Arcade successfully returned the flag.

[17:38] Psychos captured their first flag in the round.

[17:40] Arcade captures the third flag.

[17:43] Arcade captures two more flags.

[17:44] End of Round 2

Match Score : Arcade 1:1 Psychos

 

[17:47] Begins Round 3 on Barda

[17:52] Psychos had already captured two flags. 

[17:54] Psychos were about to capture Arcade's flag, but after their failed attack Arcade captures one.

[17:56] Both flags are taken.

[17:59] Psychos return their flag but fail capture the enemy one as the round ended.

[18:00] End of Round 3

Match Score : Arcade 1:2 Psychos

 

[18:02] Begins Round 4 on Barda

[18:03] Psychos captured a flag in the first minutes.

[18:04] Both flags are taken.

[18:06] Arcade returns its flag and captures the enemy one.

[18:09] Both flags are taken. Psychos returns theirs. 

[18:12] Just a few seconds before the round ends Psychos captures a flag and wins the round.

[18:12] End of Round 4

Match Score : Arcade 1:3 Psychos

 

[18:15] Begins Round 5 on Parma

[18:21] Arcade captures the first flag of the round.

[18:22] A fast attack by Psychos. Arcade's flag is captured.

[18:24] Psychos denies Arcade a second capture just a few millimetres away from their flag point.

[18:24] Both flags returned and then picked up again by both teams.

[18:25] Both teams still struggling in a deadlock to return their respective flags.

[18:25] Arcade's A_R_A_K_E_L_Y_A_N  quits with 10 seconds left on the clock

[18:25] End of Round 5

Final Match Score : Arcade 1:3 Psychos

 

Arcade moves to the Losers' Bracket and will play against All In, while Psychos are going to face GGWP for a direct qualifier into the SuperFinal

[r_Damn_Slow0 12,476]

Match breakdown  :   @Lankbouv's  analysis

 

 

This was it, the big one we'd all been waiting for.  ARCADE, on the back of a number of defeats, would surely be looking to take revenge for a 4-0 drubbing by PSYCHOS themselves, so this match was always going to be a matter of prestige for ARCADE

 

The first round was played in Kungur, with ARCADE playing on the red side, arguably the better side while PSYCHOS faced them on the blue side.  At the start of the round, the new trend of ensuring that neither side had drops continued, with a face off ensuing.  This did not last long, however, as Muctep_Kpa6c (Mister Crabs), Hormony and S_E_N_T_E_X all picked up drops and they had soon rampaged all through ARCADE's base taking the flag back to their base.  It eventually resulted as a capture, as both UDJIK and Advokatee somehow managed to flip their hunters, in two enormous blunders which cost ARCADE the first flag of the game.  It was not long before the same thing happened again, Muctep_Kpa6c taking full drugs twice in the space of 5 minutes, and the second time he did this he made the score 2-0 to PSYCHOS with ARCADE barely having scratched the surface of their opponents base.  All in all, PSYCHOS controlled the drops in the first round, which ended 3-0 due to another very similar capture near the end.

 

Round 2 began with ARCADE on the offensive.  You_Always_Iose used his wasp to great effect in bringing the PSYCHOS's flag to their base, where UDJIK guided the flag back the rest of the way for a capture, making the score 1-0, partly due to I.Shomaa's incredible shot, destroying any chance of a return.  It wasn't long, before a similar thing happened with You_Always_Iose's wasp's speed proving the decisive factor in evading any attempts for a return as ARCADE made it 2-0.  The rest of the round, was a relative breeze for ARCADE.  At one point PSYCHOS had their flag almost about to be captured, but UDJIK saved the day, by appearing with full drugs, in Muctep_Kpa6c style and returning.  Yes, PSYCHOS pulled a flag back, but UDJIK's skill with a hunter in Kungur was un-rivalled as the final score of the round was whopping 5-1.

 

Round 3 was a game of ping-pong the whole way through which PSYCHOS ultimately won.  Both teams took each other's flags near the start of the first round resulting in a stand-off.  This was not remotely surprising, as Barda is well known for flag-standoffs.  Ultimately though, after squabble after squabble over flags, with Only_Win performing a rather remarkable feat of parkour by accident and flipping himself, PSYCHOS came away 3-1 up with 3 minutes to go.  Overall, you have to feel, that, should You_always_Iose had have been a little less frivolous with his wasp, and had left his nitro for a hunter ARCADE could well have managed a comeback.  In the end, though, PSYCHOS found themselves 2-1 up in rounds.

 

Round 4 started in an energetic fashion, with Olimdjon infiltrating ARCADE's base within a minute, completely owning A_R_A_K_E_L_Y_A_N who had a very poor round indeed and somehow taking a highly obscure route back to his base for a capture.  ARCADE's attempt at a response was quickly snuffed about by the highly efficient PSYCHOS defenders who despatched UDJIK in style.  It wasn't long, either, before Olimdjon was back in ARCADE's base, harassing the defense after having picked up a Double Armour.  Notably, A_R_A_K_E_L_Y_A_N  was once again not able to deal with the incoming hunter, missing several shots.  

 

Several minutes later, after a fair amount of camping by both teams, each team destroyed their opposing defenders and we found ourselves with a flag stand-off.  At one point Kirill.132 should really have returned, and would have done, if it hadn't been for the long-lasting corpses of the eSports Server.  This proved to be a pivotal point in the flag stand-off as, shortly after, A_R_A_K_E_L_Y_A_N  made his first really good contribution to the game, by returning the flag.  ARCADE swiftly captured and the score was 1-1 with just less than 5 minutes remaining.  Moments later Olimdjon and ilmo12 took the ARCADE flag and almost captured, and would have done, if it had not been for a mistake by Hormony letting ARCADE return.
 
Then, once more, both flags were taken and another flag stand-off ensued.  PSYCHOS almost returned their flag a number of time, as ARCADE made a mess-up of attempting to hand their flag off up a ledge.  They recovered slightly, only to have You_Always_Iose lag out, who was swiftly replaced by Advokatee.  With only about 30 seconds to go in the round, both of the teams took the oppositions' flag to a more exposed place by their flag in the hope of a last minute capture in the case of a return.  This ultimately led to a spectacular return by ilmo12, resulting in PSYCHOS edging the round 2-1.
 
And here we were in Round 5, the deciding round for ARCADE.  They had to win this, or the match would go to PSYCHOS, dropping ARCADE down into the losers bracket.  It was to be played in Parma, a map notorious for flag-standoffs.  And so the round began, with A_R_A_K_E_L_Y_A_N  attempting to move down PSYCHOS right flank, to impede their attackers.  Following on from this, in a move typical of the old Noobest, completely in control of the game, UDJIK, equipped with a nitro captured the first flag for ARCADE, making it 1-0.  However, ARCADE did not remain ahead for long, gangstachel picked up a double armour and nitro in defence, but was promptly flipped from across the map, allowing Muctep_Kpa6c to take ARCADE's flag back to his base, with relative ease, 1-1.  At around 6:30, Muctep_Kpa6c once again took ARCADE's flag, and almost made it out of their base, thanks to some beautiful support from his teammates from across the map, but was shot down moments later.  ARCADE responded in turn, by bringing PSYCHOS' flag back to their base and could well have captured if it had not been for gangstachel getting flipped again

So, with 3 minutes remaining, possibly the most epic, and long-lasting flag stand-off of all time happened.  UDJIK, with nitro took PSYCHOS flag, while PSYCHOS did the same with ARCADE's flag.  Both teams pounded the other sides flag carriers, but neither side could return.  You_Always_Iose steamed in with his wasp, time after time, but somehow did not manage a return.  As you listened to ARCADE's TeamSpeak call on the russian stream you could now hear the intensity of the ARCADE players' voices.  Finally, You_Always_Iose managed a dramatic return, expecting his teammate to capture.  However, it was not to be.  Muctep_Kpa6c, who had had an amazing match, was blocking Only_win from capturing, almost a centimetre from the flag.  You could hear the frustration in the ARCADE players' voices, as Muctep_Kpa6c returned his flag.  ARCADE, in the hope of somehow grabbing a flag, bombarded PSYCHOS' base, and a 20 second stand-off resulted, but this time, neither side had time to return, making the final score of the round 1-1, with PSYCHOS winning the match in dramatic circumstances. 
______
 
Overall, PSYCHOS had certainly been the better side.  Olimdjon and Muctep_Kpa6c in particular had played amazingly well, their attackers picking up the necessary drops and capturing a great number of flags.  ARCADE, in contrast, in all honesty, looked a shadow of their former selves.  A_R_A_K_E_L_Y_A_N was certainly no longer the best smoky in the game, and ARCADE's tactic of defending with hornets also did not work, with gangstachel in particular flipping way too many times.

[r_Damn_Slow0 12,476]

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