The Falcons team, long known for its tough and confident style, has made itself felt again by taking another trophy at ESL One Birmingham. The finale turned out exactly the way the fans were waiting for it: tense, loud and principled. The Falcons’ opponent was the sturdy and dangerous BetBoom, which confidently passed the top bracket and approached the decisive match as the favorite. The Falcons went the hard way through a lower bracket, but as time has shown, they were not at all confused.
In the finals, the Falcons gave an almost flawless performance and closed the series with a 3-0 dry score, leaving the rivals without a real chance. BetBoom looked confused: they were clearly not ready for such a pace, precision and composure. This victory finally cemented the status of champions of ESL One Birmingham for the Falcons and the team that everyone else is now forced to adapt to. Their path is a classic example of how resilience, flexibility and the ability to perfectly realize their moments are crucial in esports.
Winners of ESL One Birmingham 2024
For the Falcons, this tournament was another step forward, especially considering that the organization appeared on the Dota 2 scene only recently — only last November. However, the start was more than loud: the club immediately assembled a squad of experienced players who were at the peak of their individual form. With each major tournament, the Falcons make it more and more clear that this is not a temporary surge, but an application for a long game. Teams are already treating matches against them with noticeable caution, although the upcoming global patch may well shake up the current meta.
Falcons coach Aui_2000 noted that the team adapted quite quickly and painlessly within the new organization, largely due to the fact that the players had known each other for a long time. However, there were problems. According to him, the team still faces psychological difficulties: it is not always possible to calmly react to provocations, disputes during the game and painful moments.
“That’s what we’re working on right now,” Aui said after winning the ESL. — We won the tournament, but I understand that both the form and the mentality can be better. Yes, we turned on at the right moment, but there are teams that can play even harder.”
The second card of the final turned out to be especially revealing. The Falcons bet on the leith heroes and managed to turn the game around, despite BetBoom’s solid early advantage. Technically, BB was supposed to close this card, but they gave their opponent too much time and paid for it. The Falcons were trapped on the map, farmed literally in small camps and endured until they gained the necessary strength. BetBoom allowed them to do this, and this is where they made a key mistake. Skiter’s choice in favor of Sven turned out to be decisive: the hero’s colossal damage changed the balance of power and gave the Falcons the opportunity to quickly prepare for the decisive stage.
It is important to understand that the victory of the Falcons on the second map was due not only to their well-balanced game, but also to the outright mistakes of the opponent. This was confirmed by Aui_2000 himself:
“BetBoom played very poorly. The victory was easy. I didn’t fully understand what they were trying to do at all — there were too many mistakes. After this map, it became clear that the series had most likely already been resolved.”
Having received a powerful boost of confidence, the Falcons took the final card without much resistance. The decisive game lasted about 40 minutes and was noticeably calmer than the previous ones. The behavior of some BetBoom players was also discussed separately — after the final, the teams did not even shake hands, which did not go unnoticed by the audience.
Despite the fact that Aui considers the level of performances at ESL One Birmingham to be generally average, he does not deny the Falcons’ strengths:
“We train a lot for different scenarios and understand the current meta well.”
The victory in Birmingham was the third for the Falcons this year. Against the backdrop of the upcoming major tournament in Riyadh, the rest of the teams should make the most of their time for bootcamps if they want to impose a fight on this team, which has thoroughly studied all the nuances of the current patch.
The success of the Falcons is explained by several factors at once. Firstly, the squad successfully combines experienced players and those who are still gaining momentum, creating a balanced and dangerous team. Secondly, signing players at the peak of their form has already brought results — stable and strong performances at major events. It is also important that the Falcons are able to quickly adapt to the changes in the Dota 2 meta, without clinging to outdated approaches.
Strong team chemistry and understanding of each other’s gaming habits also play a role. Old connections and synergy helped the team to integrate seamlessly into the structure of the organization. At the same time, as Aui_2000 admits, work on psychology remains a priority — the ability to keep a cool head at crucial moments can be the key to further growth.
From the point of view of gameplay, Falcons feel equally confident in both the early and late stages of the game. Competent decisions, backed up by individual skill, allow them to pull matches out of even difficult situations. The comeback against BetBoom was a good example: a correct understanding of the victory conditions and a clear implementation did their job.
Ahead is a global patch, new heroes, item edits, and another meta shift. The Falcons will have to prove their flexibility and adaptability again. The current dominance is impressive, but only those who do not stop developing will be able to stay at the top.
The bottom line is obvious: the Falcons’ success at ESL One Birmingham and their string of wins this season confirm that a truly strong player has emerged on the Dota 2 scene. Their composition, strategy and teamwork allow them to consistently beat their rivals. Yes, there are enough problems — especially emotionally — but with proper work on these points, the Falcons are quite capable of maintaining leadership even in the face of changing meta and new patches.
