This article is sponsored by DJ Esports.
Team Secret has performed well throughout The International 10 so far, placing second in the group stage and defeating two-time defending champion OG in the first round of the main stage. They have a defined style, dominant individual players, and can hold the line against any other top competitor.
Now that they are one step closer to raising the Aegis of Champions for the first time under Secret’s banner, Puppey, MATUMBAMAN, and their teammates are going to face yet another test as they clash against Chinese juggernaut, Invictus Gaming.
IG dominated the group stage but struggled against the underdogs of Team Spirit in the first round of the main event, dropping the first game before cleaning things up 2-1 and moving on.
With a strong early game that tends to overwhelm lesser opponents, Secret is an opponent that could give them real issues as they are one of the most adaptable teams in the world. If they can’t control their impulsive tendencies, Puppey’s squad could potentially pick iG apart as they punish players that overextend harshly.
Although IG is tough, Secret is far more stable. They are a team that attaches great importance to objectives and often rely on individual players’ talents to drag the game into a favorable position before launching a coordinated attack. IG have an extremely fierce offense, meaning Secret will likely be focused on trying to keep them suppressed by dictating the flow of engagements and building resources.
If IG is unable to keep up with Secret in the early- and mid-stages, then Secret should be able to turn an early lead into a mid-game momentum and run away with at least one victory. Based on the odds from DJ Esports, Secret is favored to win the best-of-three and move on.
In the early game, Secret tends to maintain their rhythm while controlling the situation and developing their team. On the other hand, iG is more inclined to try and box their opponents in with continuous raids into their territory.
IG should be relatively aggressive and attentive when trying to secure the first Roshan, and DJ Esports’ data shows that iG has succeeded in doing so eight of the last 10 games, making them a strong contender in this market.
Based on additional data from DJ Esports, iG’s early-game strength is very high and heavily based on securing kills first in any contest. In their last 10 games, they have a 70 percent ten kill rate–that’s more than 90 percent of teams in the tournament.
Despite that consistently strong early presence, iG is prone to letting teams hang around and stage comebacks in the mid and late-game. Secret has an excellent ability to play for their timings in any draft, giving them an advantage in teamfights, especially when all of their heroes are online.
For more odds on this match and any other games featured at The International 10, you can view them on DJ Esports.
