PGL Wallachia Season 9

My take

I have to go with LGD on this one. In the late-game, they are more disciplined than NAVI, and they amke fewer mistakes. Niku will not be able to roam so freely, since he will need to lane against Suma1L.

✗ Aftermath

Yeah, I feel like this LGD team will struggle because they ALWAYS end up in these dogfights. I feel like they need to play a little bit more disciplined so they don't rely on the late-game execution. As for NAVI, gotthejuice actually carried the entire squad on his Terrorblade.

My take

Blue corner NAVI, red corner Yandex, and I’m still not changing my mind. Yandex has been absolutely phenomenal in this entire tournament from day one. ATF + watson farming + almost zero early-mid mistakes is just a different level. They looked like the best team in groups, put Aurora in the lower bracket, and stomped LGD 2-0 in the upper final. They play fast, methodical, and disciplined. They don’t give free resources, and they almost never tilt. NAVI, on the other hand, has been the ultimate lower-bracket warrior. They grinded out Nemesis, rolled Aurora again, took down Xtreme, and just beat LGD. But we’ve already seen this matchup in the group stage; Yandex 2-0’d them cleanly—and nothing I’ve seen since makes me believe NAVI suddenly figured out how to…

✓ Aftermath

Yandex didn’t just win the Grand Final—they made it look like a group-stage stomp. NAVI fought, they tried the early pressure, they tried to force fights… and Yandex just said “no.” ATF + watson farming once again on a completely different level. Methodical, with zero free mistakes, and the moment the game hit mid, they simply took over the map. And let’s talk about ATF for a second. First tournament with this squad, and he already lifted the trophy. Fits like a glove. Huskar offlane in pubs energy but somehow it works in a Tier 1 Grand Final

My take

The fact that GL beat 1Win is already a big achievement. But Xtreme (Ame and the boys) is not 1Win. Xtreme should control the map and close it 2-0 or 2-1. Don’t overthink the LGD loss—the bounce-back game is incoming.

✓ Aftermath

Pure greed. That's what Xtreme Gaming is right now. Did you notice that they only take the fights in the late-game? Because their whole identity is TO FARM. And to farm as much as possible, and only after that to take a fight. Not to mention that BoBoKa had an aghs on Jakiro in 36 minutes xD

My take

AVI looked fearless in skirmishes the whole tournament (clean early-to-mid against almost everyone except Yandex and LGD). Niku + offlane pressure is real, and they just showed they can grind out a series against a fighting Nemesis. They already beat Aurora 2-0 once at this event. If Aurora gets a massive early lead, they can steal a map, but I trust NAVI’s tempo and decision-making more in a BO3. Going with NAVI. Not to mention that they already beat Aurora in the group stage.

✓ Aftermath

Where is your favorite skiter now? I'm telling you guys, skiter might work in a team where they have a greedier midlaner (with Mikoto, this fiasco might pull through). But overall NAVI outclassed Aurora in both maps.

My take

Yandex is still the big bad bully of this tournament. ATF+ watson Farming + almost zero mistakes in the early-mid is a different level. They looked like the best team for most of the groups and just put Aurora in the lower bracket. Chira_Junior is proving the haters wrong every series. LGD’s only real winning condition is perfect teamfight execution once the game stabilizes. Yandex doesn’t give you those free resources and plays way more disciplined. I still trust Yandex’s consistency more in a BO3. Expect Yandex 2-1 (could even be a stomp if they draft properly).

✓ Aftermath

Imagine being AMMAR, pick me Huskar, and I will go offlane with it like we're in a pub. And guess what, he made it work xD. As for LGD, I see that their team is really strong; what they miss from my POV is this early exposiveness.

My take

I see a lot of tipsters saying that NAVI is the favorite here. But how? Why? What do they have in their arsenal that makes them better than Xtreme? Do they have a better support duo? No. Do they have a better carry? Maybe. But do they have a better 5-man late-game Dota? Certainly NOT. I'm going with Xtreme Gaming to win.

✗ Aftermath

Looks like I was wrong. I love these picks from NAVI because they play their OWN META: Monkey King, Ursa, Huskar, Naga Siren. Their lower bracket run is incredible, and yeah, good job. BTW: Niku is on a 14 streak on Huskar in pro scene.

My take

A very interesting match, but I will keep my cool and say that NAVI will bully Nemesis in early game. I honestly don't think Nemesis can keep up with the early pressure from them.

✓ Aftermath

Absolute cinema. NAVI buys back and finishes the Throne (which had 40 hp). But credit—where's it due? I believe that Nemesis put a LOT OF FIGHT, and I am not talking only about this BO3. They also were competitive against every other Tier 1 team.

My take

Now, this is an interesting match. But God forbid if I trust GamerLegion ever again. 1Win at least has this dog in them where they fight for every single objective; GL, on the other hand, just throws leads left and right.

✗ Aftermath

Jesus Christ….just atrocious playstyle by 1Win. Imagine that you are Shad, you get a chance to stand-in in a tier 1 team and then this fiasco happens. Honestly, I don’t even think that Shad was the problem, I believe that the team as a whole played extremely bad.

My take

We already saw this match in the group stage, where Xtreme wiped the floor with LGD. In the playoffs I still consider that Ame and the boys are kind of better in the 5-man Dota than LGD. LGD's only winning condition is the team-fight execution. Because somehow they always end up on top. But if we are coldheaded, we need to admit that Xtreme takes it.

✗ Aftermath

Wow... never expected that Wits would wake up and literally dismantle Xtreme.

My take

Aurora is going to the lower bracket. That's not even a debate; from what I see here, Yandex is unstoppable.

✓ Aftermath

The fact that Aurora won the first map is already an achievement in my book. And yes, the man of the hour was indeed a Skiter. Good job.

My take

Xtreme looked like one of the two most consistent teams in the groups (only Yandex was cleaner). Ame was in absolute monster mode, XinQ/zeal synergy was real, and they handled every pace they faced, early aggression, or late slugfests. Nemesis is dangerous because of JaCkky, and they have that chaotic SEA fight DNA. But they also looked shaky against proper Tier-1 tempo and got exposed whenever the game went longer than 35–40. Xtreme just doesn’t give you those free early mistakes that Nemesis needs. Expect Xtreme to control the map and close it 2-0 or 2-1.

✓ Aftermath

Yeah, this support duo from Xtreme Gaming is unbelievable good. You can feed as a core, and you can make some missplays, because in the end you know that you have 2 supports that will transition to cores sooner or later.

My take

NAVI had some really clean early-to-mid games and looked fearless in skirmishes (especially against Aurora and Hokori). Niku and the offlane pressure are real. But LGD has shown a higher ceiling once they stabilize. They can match the early pressure and then just outfarm/outfight in the mid-late. The only worry is LGD’s occasional hard-lane instability (Thiolicor/Davai moments), but overall they looked more complete against the better teams. If NAVI gets a massive early lead, they can win, but I trust LGD’s mid-to-late more in a BO3.

✓ Aftermath

Enigma will be first banned from now on against LGD. Suma1L baited the whole NAVI squad into Black Hole and Doom. What I did tell you before the match? If it goes to the late game, NAVI has a ton of questionable moves. They are easily pressured when it comes to late-game decisions.

My take

Aurora is still the "ws show.” When he’s in the zone, they look like a real team; when he’s not, Skiter and the rest just don’t have enough. They also struggled against proper early pressure. GamerLegion has the classic “choke high ground” problem, but RCY has been one of the best performers in the entire group stage (that Invoker masterclass against Nemesis was a real deal). Timado can go god-mode on the right heroes, and they somehow keep finding ways to win unwinable series. I trust GL’s individual skill and recent form more than Aurora’s one-man carrying.

✗ Aftermath

Pfff, that's on me.... What was in my mind? Why do I always trust them? I will never understand WHY they keep picking this Largo for RCY. I mean, he NEVER won a match on this frog from Mid. The guy is the most mechanically skilled player on the team, and they give him Largo, from all heroes LARGOOOOOOOOOO!

My take

Yandex is still the big bad bully of this tournament. ATF + watson Farming + almost zero mistakes in the early-mid is just a different level. They looked like the best team for most of the group stage. 1win… man. Even when they win, they throw 2–3 fights. Decision-making is still a coin flip, and they only look scary when Ari is hard-carrying. Against a team that doesn’t give free resources and plays disciplined, this is a mismatch. Yandex 2-0, maybe even a stomp if they draft properly.

✓ Aftermath

The first match was really competitive, but the second map was a complete stomp by Team Yandex. And for everyone saying that Chira_Junior is a weak midlaner, take a look at his Slark against BZM.

My take

I want to go soooo bad with Pips+4 (because I believe that rincyq and Copy CAN bring down this colossal list of big Dota names), but man, my model is just screaming at me to go with 1Win. They will win JUST because they have way more experience in playing the map, because the skill level is very close between these 2 teams.

✓ Aftermath

It went EXACTLY as I predicted. You see, Pips+4 is a very capable team, but they lack the tier 1 experience when they need to push. When do they need to fight? And things like that. And this goddamn Outworld Devourer is broken.

My take

What a matchup. But I just can't go against Lorenof. I believe that CvS is slightly better when it comes to late-game team-fight execution. Yes, of course Nemesis can push early, but can they do it in a BO3? I doubt that.

✗ Aftermath

You've got to be kidding me. I don't have any words to describe this. JaCkky sent Nightfall to the elementary school of carry players. Did you see the difference? Man, Jacky didn't die A SINGLE TIME in the last 2 maps. Pray that the rumors are true and Nightfall is the actual carry of the CvS.

My take

I am so upset at LGD right now that I was thinking of picking against them. But no, I need to be cold-headed and understand that MOUZ is pretty unreliable against teams that match their fast pace, which LGD does. I believe that LGD will hold the early game and then destroy MOUZ in mid-to-late game.

✓ Aftermath

Wits kind of woke up, and LGD won. I would say that they won more because of the pressure that they put in early on and thanks to Suma1L with his Parasma build on Void Spirit.

My take

Nemesis just beat MOUZ and still has that chaos factor with JaCkky. GL somehow won against Pips after getting destroyed by LGD. I like Nemesis that they play dirtier, and I like that right now. But I will go with a slightly more stable option, which is GamerLegion.

✓ Aftermath

That's got to be the best Invoker performances in a while. RCY simply dismantled Nemesis in the last 2 maps. GG and absolute chad. GamerLegion will advance to the PGL Wallachia Season 9 playoffs.

My take

Both are 1-2 and both look shaky. Kuro’s stack has Ghost playing Lone Druid like it’s his first time seeing the hero. Yakult at least has some fight left. I’m going with Conventus here. But I can see a really shady throw by them.

✓ Aftermath

Lorenof said enough is enough and is starting to carry his whole team to the win. Actually I was expecting Yakult Brothers to do slightly better, but it looks like in both maps the pressure was just too much. Also, since when has this Viper pick been good as a carry?

My take

Pips just lost a winnable series to GL, Cobra got stomped by Aurora. Both are dangerous in their own way. But Parker's squad is just inconsistent, and I believe it is because of pressure. I think rincyq and the boys want it more right now.

✓ Aftermath

What a dogfight. But in the end, I believe that teams should start banning this Earthshaker for Copy. It's just too annoying to deal with it in team fights. What can I say? Congratulations to Pips+4? They have one more chance to reach the playoffs. And, with Team Cobra out, it means all the SA teams are out of the PGL Wallachia Season 9.

My take

This one is really interesting. NAVI looked solid until they ran into Yandex. 1win is still a pure coin flip with all the fiasco and Ari carrying every game. I don’t trust 1win’s decision-making at all. NAVI should take this if they play their early game properly. Going with NAVI.

✓ Aftermath

I hate to say it, but I told you. There is no way 1Win can win a game without throwing 2-3 fights. Before this, I thought that Pure was the throwing problem. But now, I can say for sure that it is embedded in the whole team. The fact they were 2-1 before this is an enigma to me.

My take

OUZ somehow lost to Nemesis after looking decent. Hokori just beat Pibbles (which didn't win a single map in the tournament). Still, MOUZ has more individual quality even with the weird roster. I’m going with MOUZ, but if they start slow again, they might choke another one.

✓ Aftermath

MOUZ never disappoints when they play against slightly weaker teams. 2 quick 30-minute games with a fast push pick (Beastmaster + Kez), and voila, winning becomes easy.

My take

LGD just got smoked by Xtreme. Aurora is surviving only because of ws. Still, SumaiL mid + Wits is a higher ceiling than whatever Aurora is doing without Mikoto. I’m sticking with LGD.

✗ Aftermath

I don't even want to comment on that. To me, Wits lost both matches on his Kez. Aurora's supports were too good in these series.

My take

A very interesting match, because both teams are kind of even in skill. More than that, they play the same exact type of dota, late-gamge. GL just got dismantled by LGD and still has that classic "What do we do now?" problem. Pips just woke up and took down Yakult. I don’t trust GL to close games cleanly right now. Going with Pipsqueak+4 for the upset.

✗ Aftermath

Ofc, when I go against GL, suddenly Timado goes in God Mode and just farms more on his Ursa than the whole Pips+4 squad.

My take

Aurora looked completely lost against NAVI (Skiter still not it). Cobra just beat PlayTime and are playing with zero pressure. Still, Aurora has more individual quality even with the stand-in. I’m sticking with Aurora, unless Parker pulls some miracle tomorrow.

✓ Aftermath

Poor ws man, he's trying sooo hard to carry this Aurora squad. I swear to God, if he ever leaves this team, Aurora instantly goes tier 3. This dude doesn't get the credit that he deserves. How the hell did he go on that Night Stalker 16:3?

My take

Kuro’s stack lost a close one to Xtreme, and 1win finally woke up and stomped Hokori. But mark my words, guys: 1Win will throw AT LEAST in 1 map. I just can't rely on them anymore; I distrust them completely when it comes to fighting decisions.

✗ Aftermath

No comment, I've never seen a worse performance by a Lone Druid player than Ghost. I don't know why they keep picking him as this hero if he simply can't play it. I'm speechless at the way Convesus lost the 3rd map.

My take

Nemesis got ragdolled by Yandex (which was expected) after the miracle against 1win. MOUZ just cleaned up Pibbles, and they are performing better in these mid-game skirmishes. I like MOUZ here, a more consistent 5-man Dota right now.

✗ Aftermath

Yeah, MOUZ, even if it has a different roster, they have the same problem, like it's embedded on the tag itself. If they don't stomp you early, they don't know what to do next. It's insane to me that they choke under Nemesis's pressure.

My take

Both are 0-2, and both look completely tilted. Yakult at least took maps. PlayTime threw with megacreeps yesterday, and I'm not even going to comment on how they lost today. I’m going with Yakult just because someone has to win and they showed a bit more fight.

✓ Aftermath

Naah, this PlayTime roster is barely a tier 2 team right now. I don't hate or something; it's just these players don't stack with each other. They have zero win conditions in any match. You can't trust anyone on this team that will carry the game. Most likely they will be the first team to get eliminated from PGL Wallachia Season 9.

My take

This is the real match of the day. LGD with SumaiL mid looks scary; Xtreme with Ame + Xm looks even scarier. Both are 2-0, and both look locked in. But man, Xtreme throws a lot of lead. Yes, Xtreme is the favorite here, but I just believe that this will end up a late-game slugfest where LGD is just better.

✗ Aftermath

Unbelievable.... Why would you keep picking Bounty Hunter for Thiolicor? It is beyond understanding to me. He was feeding in both maps with it. And Ame looked like he was in the TI Grand Finals or something, with absolutely 2 flawless games. I think he channeled all the hate that he got in the last 6 months just to shut everyone up.

My take

0-2 SA deathmatch. Both got completely run over. Hokori at least tried to fight, Pibbles just got farmed. Going with Hokori, but honestly whoever wins this is still probably going home soon.

✓ Aftermath

wonderk1d (James) is pretty good of a midlaner. I feel like South America is really missing these high-skill mids (after the TaiLung and DarkMago fiasco). Of course, here payk was the deciding factor, but still not bad.

My take

This will be the most high-skilled match in the PGL Wallachia Group Stage. But Yandex is still the big bad bully of this tournament. ATF + watson farming is just different. NAVI looked clean against Aurora and Hokori, but I don’t see them stopping Yandex’s early-to-mid aggression. Yandex to stay undefeated.

✓ Aftermath

I told you xD. Actually, I thought that NAVI would fight a little bit harder, but it was impossible. Did you notice that the way Yandex plays right now is exactly how they played the first half of the year of 2026? Really fast, methodical, and almost no mistakes. I don't know if anybody can beat them in this tournament.

My take

Both teams are 0-1, and both looked lost yesterday. PlayTime threw a mega-creeps game, and Cobra got run over by GamerLegion. Still, PlayTime has slightly better individual pieces and at least some experience at this level. Cobra’s early game is still too soft. Going with PlayTime, but this could easily be a bloodbath either way.

✗ Aftermath

Carry diff. The South America derby is over, and it looks like Parker is just a way better carry player than Yuma. If yesterday PT threw that huge lead, today they showed me another crack, which is that they can't teamfight well.

My take

Hands down one of the best matches of the day. Kuro’s new stack looked solid against PlayTime, but Xtreme just reunited Ame and Xm, and they already looked scary against SA Dota. I don’t think Ghost/Lorenof can match the pace on this stage. I’m going with Xtreme to win.

✓ Aftermath

DM DM… I feel like he solo lost the last map. Instead of pressing Black Hole, he did press a TP home. But credit where's due: XinQ was the third most farmed hero on the map, on a Spirit Breaker xD.

My take

1win just got embarrassed by Nemesis with stand-ins, and Pure is still missing. Hokori got dismantled by NAVI and looks like a classic SA “fight but no real tempo." Even with Shad, BZM + 33 should still be enough to control the map. I’m sticking with 1win, but I’m not as confident as usual.

✓ Aftermath

Ari had enough of this nonsense from 1Win and decided to carry the team on his back xD. I'm going to say it again, guys: yes, they won, but they BARELY did it. Imagine that they were fighting a tier 2/tier 3 team from South America. This kind of dota won't work against any of the Tier 1 teams here.

My take

GL looked clean against Cobra, but we already know their classic problem—they choke leads and can’t push high ground properly. LGD with Suma1L mid is a completely different animal than the TI version of Nigma. I trust LGD’s mid + Wits more than GL’s late-game hopes. Going with LGD.

✓ Aftermath

Yep, Wits and Suma1L are just too good in this patch. Imagine that the King runs at you from minute 6 onwards and then Wits outfarms your carry 2 to 1 in the next 20 minutes. I can see that Sneyking is building another Team Falcons right now.

My take

Should be a YOLO match by both teams. But Yakult at least took a map off LGD, and Pips got outfarmed by Aurora. Still, I don’t trust either of them fully. I’ll go with Yakult just because they showed a bit more fight, but this is a pure coinflip match in my eyes.

✗ Aftermath

What a war...actually I can't believe how composed Pips+4 were in the whole series. I told you in the past 6 months that this kid, rincyq, will have a big career ahead. I mean look at his Kez plays and overall farming patterns.

My take

This is the real match of the day. Aurora barely beat Pips+4 with ws carrying everything and Skiter looking meh. The problem with Aurora right now is that without Mikoto they lose a lot of early pressure and another greedy core in the late game. NAVI should take the lead in net worth and not let Aurora play the slow farm game they want. Going with NAVI.

✓ Aftermath

I told you :), never look at the tag. NAVI is fearless in these early game skirmishes. And even though they were playing from the back foot in the first map, they still managed to get quite some farm on gotthejuice. Aurora needs Mikoto back and FAST.

My take

Yandex is the big bad bully of this tournament, and ATF already makes them even more dangerous. Nemesis just pulled off the upset against 1win with two stand-ins, and SabeRLight was a monster, but this is a completely different level. Watson farming + early aggression from Yandex should just be too much. I’m going with Yandex, and I don’t think it will be close.

✓ Aftermath

Now we're talking. What are you going to say now, haters? That Ammar is washed, and he was never that good? I'm telling you now, this Yandex squad is a contender for the most Tier 1 trophies in the 2026/2027 season.

My take

MOUZ lost to Yandex, but they played extremely well. Pibbles got completely stomped by Xtreme, and SA Dota has been looking weak so far this tournament. Even with stand-ins everywhere, MOUZ should have enough individual quality to take this clean. Going with MOUZ to win this quickly.

✓ Aftermath

I knew that it would be a stomp from MOUZ. That I was never expected to do this kind of stomp. GG Supream and the boys.

My take

Nemesis has been solid in SEA qualifiers and lower tiers, but this is a clear tier gap. Even with Pure missing (visa again, Shad stand-in), BZM + 33 + Ari should control tempo and punish the slower SEA style. More than that, Nemesis also plays with 2 stand-ins (Mo13ei and SabeRLight, so I'm going with 33 and the gang).

✗ Aftermath

Where to start? To say that Shad was nowhere to be found on his Lifestealer? Or maybe that 33 AFK Doom? Or maybe that SabeRLight crushed 1Win on a Death Prophet offlane? Imagine that 1Win lost against Nemesis with 2 stand-ins, unbelievable.

My take

Well, there is no secret that the Xtreme Gaming roster looks really scary. I am going with the reunited team (Ame + Xm) to win convincingly. I don't believe that SA Dota can do something against them.

✓ Aftermath

Solid performance by Xtreme. I would also point out that the sync between zeal and XinQ is better than I expected. Let’s see how they do against a real Tier 1 team.

My take

Hokori is a solid SA side that can fight, but NAVI’s recent qualifier form and individual ceiling (especially mid/offlane) should overwhelm them. Hokori’s high-ground defense can drag one game out, but they don’t have the early pressure to stop NAVI from snowballing. I believe that NAVI will dismantle Hokori.

✓ Aftermath

Flawless victory. If you can't play in mid-game, NAVI is just a nightmare match-up for anybody. The fact that they missed the International is still a mystery to me.

My take

I am so disappointed in this playtime roster; you have no idea. From what I know, Convetus Stellarum is the new Kuro stack (Nightfall Lorenof, DM, OmaR, and GH). So, I'm going to give the edge to Kuro's stack no matter what.

✓ Aftermath

I can feel the tilt from miles away. Man, how can you lose that game with megacreeps? I think this will hit really hard mentally the whole PT squad. Tome me, DM on his Dark Seer kept the last game alive.

My take

We have Parker and the boys against GamerLegion. Even if GamerLegion has the classic problem of sometimes choking leads, Cobra doesn’t look strong enough to force that consistently. Expect GL to control the pace and take it clean.

✓ Aftermath

Why wouldn't Parker ban that Outworld Devourer? If he saw that it was game 1, it would be really hard to fight against astral. It was kind of expected, but credit where's due: Cobra won early in the game in both maps.

My take

It's time to see Skiter in action xD. But they have a problem…it looks like Stojkov is the stand-in for Mikoto, which means that skiter should take the role of a hard carry. Let's see if I was wrong this whole year calling him out for his weird plays and builds. In the end, I think ws and kaori are enough to take down Pips+4.

✓ Aftermath

I was thinking that Skiter will turn into some kind of monster, but no. He got lucky that ws carried the game on his back. I understand that Mikoto is not on the squad, but if they play like this, they have absolutely zero chances to win PGL Wallachia Season 9.

My take

We don't know YET the LGD.Gaming roster, but from what I've heard, it's an international roster with Wits, SumaiL, and Davai. I'm going to go with LGD on this one. NOTE: Be careful; if the roster is again something fishy, I will change the prediction before the match.

✓ Aftermath

Do you see the difference between Suma1L mid and Sumail carry? I swear to God, this dude was born to play on mid. I believe that NIGMA made a mistake putting him on carry at the TI2026. LGD.Gaming looks solid, but I have some doubts regarding their hard lance (Thiolicor + Davai Lama)

My take

That's not even a gram of doubt. Fresh ATF offlane addition makes them even more dangerous. MOUZ can compete in fights and has some good individual pieces, but Yandex’s early-to-mid aggression and watson farming should just be too much. More than that, Yandex, in my eyes, is the big bad bully of the PGL Wallachia Season 9.

✓ Aftermath

I was expecting a stomp by Yandex, but they barely won the last game and got stomped in the second map by Clinkz. Shout out to mrls, even though they lost, he did really well as a support against arguably the best team in the tournament.