#TI9: Team Liquid vs Team Secret

We have only two matches left to know the second Grand finalist. OG is waiting for their rival. Read, who became closer to the Grand Finals - Team Secret or Team Liquid?

Map One

• Team Secret's pick: IO (Nisha), Omniknight (Zai), Witch Doctor (Puppey), Outworld Devourer (MidOne), Earthshaker (YapzOr).
• Team Liquid's pick: Chen (KuroKy), Tidehunter (MinD_ContRoL), Earth Spirit (Gh), Leshrac (Miracle-), Meepo (w33).

Meepo was first blood for Secret, giving them a good start. But it didn't mix Liquid's plans, and they got Tier-1 on top at 8th minute. w33 showed good pressure, destroying Tier-1 and Tier-2 on mid.

Team Secret obviously didn't expect such an aggressive push: they left with the only one Tier-2 on top by 14th minute. 

There was no fight near Roshpit on 15th minute, and Liquid got Aegis to destroy rival's last Tier-2. Their confident play allows to destroy Tier-3 on mid and corner the opponent on their base. The advantage in gold has reached 14k by 22nd minute, and the heroes got essential items. 

The teams exchanged their cores and buybacks in a long fight near Secret's base. 20:6 score to the Liquid's favour. After that, the team went to Roshan and Miracle- made a mistake to dive deep in the rival's forest alone. He was punished for that, along with Tidehunter. Then Liquid regrouped and dealt a decisive blow, forcing Secret to write "GG". 1:0 in Team Liquid's favour.

Image credit: @AutoDota 

Map Two

• Team Secret's pick: Elder Titan (Puppey), Rubick (YapzOr), Magnus (Zai), Wraith King (Nisha), Bristleback (MidOne).
• Team Liquid's pick:  Alchemist (w33), Dark Seer (MinD_ConRoL), Shadow Shaman (KuroKy), Kunkka (Miracle-), Winter Wivern (Gh).

The action began from the start on the bounty runes with a short fight, where a lot of heroes were on edge, but no one died. Miracle- felt good on mid lane against MidOne on Bristleback, and all the interesting was on top, where Secret did their best to prevent Alchemist's farm. They led the map and got 3k advantage in gold. 

The quiet farm from both sides lasts until 15th minute and a fight, which continue from Liquid's top Shrine to Secret's bottom Tier-2, where Liquid won, killing rival's cores - Wraith King and Bristleback. Another long fight on mid allowed Liquid to kill all five heroes and led in the score (14:5) and gold (7k) by 25th minute. They also beat Roshan, destroyed mid lane and Shrines. Then Liquid tried to enter the base several times, but Secret's cores chased them away.

Liquid was able to corner Wraith King in the forest and kill him two times, got rival's buybacks. Then everything was decided for Team Secret. They fought with dignity, but nothing could stop Alchemist. 2:0 for Team Liquid! Well played!

Image credit: @AutoDota

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