T1 had to survive a tough stand from Motivate.Trust Gaming to take a 2-1 victory and get back on the winning track in the DPC SEA Winter Tour I on Saturday, Jan. 8.
The Southeast Asia giants made sure to avoid its mistakes during its stunning reverse sweep loss against OB Esports X Neon as it fended off MG.Trust’s comeback attempt to notch its third win in four games and keep itself in the hunt for the Major seedings.
T1 started off guns blazing as Filipino Carlo “Kuku” Palad and Thai Nuengnara “23Savage” Teeramahanon connived in its 42-15 opening win. Kuku dictated the pace with his Doom finishing with a near-prefect 10-1-10 score line while 23Savage quickly snowballed to unload a 14-2-19 KDA.
MG.Trust came alive in the second game with a 26-13 win to tie the series behind the valiant efforts of Natthaphon "Masa" Ouanphakdee who scattered a 10-1-9 line on his Mars to help the SEAEF Dota 2 titlists force a jugular Game 3.
It was a back and forth action in the third game as both squads trade punches with MG.Trust’s Masa and T1’s Karl “Karl” Jayme leading their crews.
Masa continued his fine play on the Mars with a 10-3-8 score line while Karl unleashed a 9-3-9 showing on the Leshrac.
T1 however had the last laugh in the winner-take-all the crew pushed all the right buttons in the late game to win the very tight 21-21 Game 3.
T1 currently boasts the second-best record in the tournament just behind the still unbeaten Boom Esports, 5-0. The International 10 representatives however can still fall from the top 3 especially with a logjam in the middle of the standings with Fnatic and Team SMG both with 3-2 standings and Execration not too far behind with a 2-2 slate.
T1 still has three games left in its schedule with a crucial clash against Execration set on Jan. 12. MG.Trust meanwhile will try to improve its record and avoid the bottom two of the standings when it faces off against OB Esports X Neon for its final assignment on Jan. 20.