Match Prediction: Azure Ray - Virtus.pro | Dota 2
DreamLeague Season 22Welcome to EGamersWorld.
We continue to review what's happening in the group stage of DreamLeague Season 22. By the way, we are nearing the end of the group stage full of Bo2 matches.
All teams have two series left to play, and after that, in theory, there will be re-matches. But all this is still in theory, but what we will see in practice is the match between Vp and Azure Ray.
Both teams are still in contention for the play-offs and have yet to guarantee it for themselves. Therefore, their head-to-head match makes a lot of sense.
We are trying to see if there will be a winner in this match and if one of the sides will be able to secure the best position in the group and possibly avoid a replay for the play-offs.
Let's go.
Form Azure Ray
We start our match analysis with a look at Azure Ray's form. In this match they will play the number one, with odds to win at around 1.3.
Azure Ray looked like a team playing for results only, i.e. to get to the Major at the Long Season last season. We've seen a similar story with super teams coming together, some results in the first few months and oblivion at the end.
I'm not sure that Azure Ray will follow the same scenario, but there are concerns about it. For now, though, we'll see.
Azure Ray made it to Bali Major 2023 by playing their home league. They played at the top-4, which is not a decent indicator for a team with such names.
At Bali Major 2023 Azure Ray were one step away from elimination from the tournament. The Somnus team managed to beat Bleed on tiebreaks for the top-6 of Group B.
They didn't make it far in the playoffs, but top-8 is already an indicator. Especially if we take into account the "freshness" of the team as a unit.
Due to poor performance in the absence of practice, Azure Ray could not guarantee themselves a direct entry to The International 2023. Azure Ray had to earn a slot in the qualifiers and they did it well: in the final of the qualifiers they beat Xtreme Gaming 3-1.
At the main tournament of the year the famous Chinese got into Group B, where they faced top teams like Liquid and the same BB. They managed to secure the third place, after which they easily defeated Entity 2-0 in the knockout matches for seeding in the play-offs.
Azure Ray started the playoffs with a victory over the main tournament opener - the Nouns team. After beating the Americans Azure Ray met perhaps their main rival at this tournament - their compatriots from LGD Gaming. And that match they lost without a chance, with the score 0-2. Then Azure Ray beat BB Team, but in the match for the top 3 Ledge and Gaimin Gladiators.
At the end of The International 2023, Azure Ray finished in the top 4. At the Long Season 2024 they rebuilt the roster, strengthening it considerably.
- Azure Ray roster: Lou, Ori, Faith_bian, fy, 天命.
Azure Ray's first major appearance was ESL Kuala Lumpur 2023. There they played well in the group stage, finishing top 1 in Group A. They played to a score of 8-2 on mapmaps.
The success in the group stage led the team to the championship in the first major tournament for the club. Azure Ray were crowned champions of Kuala Lumpur 2023, beating GG in the grand final.
AR are looking good in 2024. Won the qualifiers for BB Dacha and DL Season 2022, but will miss ESL Birmingham after losing in the final of the qualifiers. In addition, finished in the top 4 at BB Dacha.
Azure Ray bounced back from the first game day of DL S22 with a 0-2-0 score. The Chinese drew with Gaimin Gladiators and Falcons. The next day was a real letdown for Azure Ray: losses to BB Team and Heroic moved them to the penultimate line of the group stage. On the third day Azure Ray defeated G2.IG and drew with OG.
Azure Ray's most popular heroes
The most popular Azure Ray hero remains Storm Spirit. The character has appeared 9 times and has a winrate in the region of 66%.
Next are Pugna (8 matches, 62% win rate), Pangolier (7 matches, 71% win rate), Batrider (7 matches, 71% win rate), Techies (7 matches, 57% win rate).
There's also Keeper of the Light (6 games, 66% win rate), Silincer (6 matches, 50% win rate), Medusa (6 matches, 50% win rate).
Form Vp
We continue the match analysis with the analysis of Vp's form. In this match they are playing second with win odds in the region of 3.
Vp have stagnated throughout the last competitive year. This was displayed on the team's performance throughout the season.
Vp finished 4th in their first season of DPC without a decent performance. They played an amorphous season, but not a bad one.
The second season of DPC 2023: EEU Division 1 ended the same way. The team again took 4th place and once again was one step away from getting to The Berlin Major 2023,
- Vp line-up: Kiritych, squad1x, Noticed, sayuw, Fng.
The third round of the DPC for Vp was identical to the first two. Vp again took the top 4, which, in general, can not be called a result.
Apart from the "average" positions in the DPC league, Vp played in third-party championships. These were, for example, Pinnacle Cup: Malta Vibes, where they took the top 3-4, and also cooler tournaments, such as Riyadh Masters 2023. The latter was the biggest event in Vp's portfolio, but the Eastern European residents did not manage anything: as a result, they finished in the top 20.
Vp got to The International 2023 through the qualifiers in Eastern Europe. In the grand finals, they outscored One Move 3-0.
The International 2023 itself is going pretty well for Vp. Being one of the main contenders for elimination from the tournament, Vp took the 4th place in Basket C, thus making it to the play-offs.
In the match before that, Virtus.pro played for seeding in the play-offs against TSM. Being the number 2 seed there, the 4th place team from Eastern Europe defeated their counterparts quite easily and unexpectedly for probably everyone.
The match between Spirit and Vp was surprisingly The International interesting. What should have ended with an easy 2-0 in favour of the Dragons turned into a fistfight where Spirit had to comeback with a 0-1 score in the series.
Vp then ran into BB Team in a Top 8 match of The International 2023 and that was the end of their journey through the main tournament of the year. Next were appearances at less prestigious tournaments like the Pinnacle: 25 Year Anniversary Show, BB Dacha Qualifiers, DL Season 22, Top 3 at ESL Birmingham 2024: EEU Qualfiiers and Top 12 at BB Dacha Dubai 2024.
DreamLeague Season 22 team Long Sogpeg did pretty well. Vp beat Heroic and drew 1-1 with BB Team. The second day went with a loss and a draw. On the third day of the group stage they earned two draws: against Falcons and OG.
The most popular Virtus.pro characters
Disruptor remains the most selected Virtus.pro character (9 matches, 55% wins). Undying (8 matches, 50% wins) is trailing behind Thunderer.
Also VPs are Shadow Fiend (4 matches, 75% wins), Silencer (4 matches, 50% wins), Lina (4 matches, 50% wins).
History of head-to-head meetings between Vp and Azure Ray
Previously, the teams have not played each other in official meetings.
Predicted result of Azure Ray vs Vp at DreamLeague Season 22
In this match my sympathies are on the side of Azure Ray. As far as I am concerned, the titular Chinese have already played out on DL S22 and are ready to go into the play-offs of the tournament, even despite their tournament position (5-7) before Long Sogpeg of the final day of matches.
Bottom line: Azure Ray wins.
Azure Ray is the 3rd team in the world ranking. The organisation's performance at The International 2023 was phenomenal in my eyes, managing to climb up to 4th place in the standings. For some reason the roster undergoes changes and the old guys Somnus(2), chalice(3) and fy(4) leave the team. In their place come Xm, Xxs and XinQ respectively. The line-up lasts for a month and the newly arrived trio leaves for Xtreme Gaming to reunite with Ame. Fy returns to the lineup, as well as Ori and Faith_bian. They played well in qualifying for BB Dacha Dubai 2024 and DreamLeague Season 22, taking 1st place in both. But like their current rivals they failed to secure a slot at the ESL One Birmingham 2024 qualifiers, losing in the finals to G2.iG. At the BB Dacha did not hit the dirt and earned an honourable 4th place.
Virtus.Pro is the 14th team in the world ranking. The team's result at The International 2023 was a surprise. Out of nowhere the guys managed to get to 7th-8th place. After such a great result, taking into account not the highest achievements during the year, the organisation decided not to change the squad. The current year has already been extremely convincing. They took the only slot at the closed qualifications for BetBoom Dacha Dubai 2024 and managed to get a slot at the closed qualifications for DreamLeague Season 22 from the 2nd place right behind Spirit. But at ESL One Birmingham 2024 closed qualifications could not pass. They lost in the decisive match for the slot to Klim Sani4, which of course made us doubt ourselves a bit. BetBoom Dacha did not do too well. They took one of the last places.
AR are like children at the tournament. VP are showing promise. For some reason the Chinese are very strong favourites. The most cost-effective handicap.
I'm a prognosticator, that's what I do for a living. I devote all my time to it. No other interests.
I have been doing this for quite a long time and have achieved some success in it. Whether to believe me or not is up to everyone. But why not give it a try? Maybe you like this kind of life!
Prediction: +1.5 VP!
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Bookmakers & Statistics
According to leading bookmakers predictions, the team Azure Ray are the favorite with average odds 1.922 at the moment. Respectively, bookmakers consider Virtus.pro to be the outsider of the match with odds on a victory in the sum of about 6.628.
What are the successes of the teams in the last games
Last Matches | Azure Ray | Virtus.pro |
5 matches (wins) | 3 | 3 |
10 matches (wins) | 6 | 5 |
Gamblers will definitely be interested in the statistics of personal meetings between the teams. The competitors have held 0 matches. In these matches Azure Ray won 0 times, Virtus.pro active consisits of 0 wins.