SIBOL'S IESF campaign started off with a bang as the Philippines prevailed on their opening day Dota 2 match against Venezuela.
The team is made up of members from GrindSky Esports: Eljohn “Akashi” Andales, Jomari “Grimz” Anis, Charles Lewis “Lewis” Delos Santos, Joel “jwl” Pagkatotohanan, James “Erice” Guerra, and Mark Angelo “Kassiel” Magallanes. Each member pulled their weight in a one-sided stomp against their rivals, with the Philippines dominating from the get-go.
Erice’s rotations key to Sibol’s victory
Key to Sibol's strategy was how they played in the laning phase.
Erice's Silencer constantly bombarded the other lanes, and at numerous points, he would switch to the midlane to pressure Ryoma’s Shadow Fiend, giving Lewis' Ember Spirit the momentum boost.
On top of that, he would pressure Glacius’ Tidehunter on top while slowing down the botlane.
With Sibol controlling the laning phase all thanks to Erice, Venezuela responded with their counterattacks centered on their wombocombo lineup. A perfectly timed Global Silence, however, was enough to limit Venezuela’s aggression, leading to lewis and Akashi providing the followup barrage.
Sibol effectively separated the Venezuelan members across the map, leaving them scrambling.
To cap off Sibol’s dominance, Erice singlehandedly destroyed arrakiz' Troll Warlord, showcasing Sibol’s threat level in the IESF.
But Sibol's strong run in the opening day didn't just end there as they likewise produced a masterful display against Nepal, giving them a 2-0 edge in the play-ins.
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