Team Falcons Sweep Tidebound 2:0 at The International 2025 Playoffs

The playoff clash between Tidebound and Team Falcons ended in total dominance from the Western squad. From the opening minutes on both maps, Falcons maintained control, outpaced their opponents in farm, and dictated the tempo of the series.

The biggest disappointment came from Tidebound’s drafts. The Chinese roster made critical mistakes during hero selection: twice they locked in extremely weak lineups with no synergy and simultaneously handed over signature heroes to their opponents. Such drafting decisions looked inexplicable at this stage of The International.

At one point, the situation reached almost comic levels. On the second map, Falcons’ midlaner Malr1ne, after receiving Sand King, typed in all-chat: “Give me Sk next time.” His performance on the hero left Tidebound with no answers, as he dominated the lanes and dismantled the Chinese lineup in every teamfight.

Despite some attempts at a comeback, Tidebound couldn’t withstand the coordinated pressure and clean execution from Falcons. Both maps ended swiftly, with analysts and fans already calling Tidebound’s draft approach one of the biggest failures of the tournament.

With this victory, Falcons advance further in the upper bracket of the playoffs, keeping their flawless momentum alive without dropping a single map in the series. Tidebound, on the other hand, now find themselves under serious pressure. Dropping to the lower bracket, they must urgently rethink their drafting strategies if they want to stay in contention for the Aegis of Champions at The International 2025.

The International 2025 is the main tournament in the Dota 2 discipline, organized by Valve. The initial prize pool of The International amounts to $1,600,000, with the remaining funds being raised through in-game transactions. As of this match, the TI 2025 prize pool stands at approximately $2.58 million.