Team Spirit, the two-time TI Champions, suffered a defeat by Xtreme Gaming at the International 2024 (TI13). This loss marks the end of the defending champions’ journey at TI13 and shatters their hopes of becoming the first three-time champion.
Team Spirit (Image credit: The International 2024)
Team Spirit vs Xtreme Gaming at TI13 Playoffs
Team Spirit began their Playoffs journey in the first round of the Lower Bracket after losing to nouns in the Seeding Decider match. Despite a strong finish in the Group Stage, they found themselves on the verge of elimination in every Playoffs match.
This unexpected upset surprised fans who underestimated nouns’ determination. However, Team Spirit had experience playing from the Lower Bracket in previous tournaments.
Initially, things looked promising for Team Spirit as they defeated G2 x iG in the first round of the Lower Bracket before facing Xtreme Gaming. However, their fortunes took a turn for the worse against their Chinese rivals.
Day 2 Playoffs Results (Image credit: The International 2024)
This fight will be legendary!
In a showdown that both teams anticipated with eagerness, Illya “Raddan” Mulyarchuk (Yatoro) holds Xtreme’s Wang “Ame” Chunyu in high regard. This match was highly anticipated, even more so than battles against other top favorites like Team Falcons, Gaming Gladiators, and Team Liquid.
The first game was intense, with both teams clashing fiercely. Critical kills decided the outcome of each fight, leading to a final, game-deciding showdown that saw Spirit claim victory in Game One.
AME, AME, AME!
In Game Two, Ame secured Luna, a top meta pick, at the expense of Magomed “Collapse” Khalilov obtaining his signature hero, Mars. Xtreme Gaming strategically played around Ame’s Luna, ensuring his safety despite the threat from Mars’ initiation. Collapse struggled to engage with Xtreme’s lineup, resulting in lost fights and towers, leading to a swift conclusion of Game Two within 25 minutes.
Spirit couldn’t kill anyone
In Game Three, both teams avoided giving up meta picks, opting for comfort heroes instead. Yatoro’s Terrorblade faced off against Ame’s Medusa in a close match. Despite Spirit’s strong lineup, Xtreme’s Tusk and Undying picks provided crucial sustain, allowing Ame’s Medusa to survive Spirit’s assaults. Xtreme’s teamwork and healing abilities proved superior, keeping their team alive throughout the match.
With this defeat, Team Spirit exits TI13, relinquishing their title defense. Despite the loss, Raddan and his team respect Xtreme Gaming’s performance and wish them success in the tournament.
