EWC 2025 Dota 2: Playoff race tightens after major losses
Day two of the 2025 Dota 2 Esports World Cup (EWC) came with some surprises. While some heavyweights struggled, rising teams seized the moment. Team Liquid, the reigning TI champions, stayed strong with a clean 2-0 win over PARIVISION. However, other top teams didn’t have the same luck.
Virtus.pro fell to the bottom of Group C after losing all four of their games. Defeats to Tundra Esports and Team Yandex pushed VP into the elimination phase. They were the first team to get locked in. At the same time, underdogs like NAVI and HEROIC picked up big wins and put more pressure on the top teams.
In the round-robin group stage, only one team from each group goes straight to the playoffs. The others must fight in the elimination phase. This increases the pressure with every match. Shopify Rebellion is in trouble after losing two games in a row and now risks getting knocked out.
As the $3 million Dota 2 event heads into Day 3, the gap between top teams and underdogs is getting smaller. This sets up a playoff race that could go in any direction.
