Nigma Galaxy nosedive on Day 2 of ESL One Raleigh

After finishing as the only perfect team after the first day of group play at the Dota 2 ESL One Raleigh event, Nigma Galaxy dropped both of their games Tuesday on Day 2 and slid down to fourth place in Group A.

Nigma opened the day falling 2-0 to Team Spirit, though in a pair of lengthy battles -- 42 and 50 minutes, with Spirit on green on both. Nigma then fell 2-0 to Team Liquid, losing in 25 and 43 minutes. Again, the winner was on green in both.

The $1 million tournament -- the first ESL One event played in the United States since 2015 -- runs through Sunday. It is the fourth of five events that make up the ESL Pro Tour. DreamLeague Season 26 will be held in Europe from May 19-June 1.

In Raleigh, the 12 teams are split into two six-team groups for three days of round-robin play. Group-play matches are two games each, with ties possible. The top two teams from each group will advance to the upper bracket of the playoffs beginning Thursday. The third- and fourth-place teams will be placed in the lower bracket beginning Friday, while the fifth- and sixth-place teams will be eliminated.

The winner will take home $250,000 in prize money, $40,000 in club money and a share of the 27,920 ESL Pro Tour points available in the tournament. The second-place squad will receive $130,000 and $35,000 plus EPT points.

While Nigma was sliding down the standings, PARAVISION was sweeping their way to the top. PARAVISION first took down Liquid in 29 minutes on red and 43 minutes on green, then swept Talon Esports in 33 minutes (on red) and 22 minutes (on green).

In the other Group A matches, Talon and Shopify Rebellion split before Spirit swept Shopify in 41 minutes on green and 36 minutes on red.

In Group B, Team Falcons repeated their performance from Monday, winning one match and splitting the other. The Falcons first beat HEROIC in 30 and 43 minutes, both times on red, then split with AVULUS with a 44-minute win on red and a 38-minute loss while also playing on red.

AVULUS picked up one of the two other wins produced in Group B, beating Team Tidebound n 41 minutes on red and 45 minutes on green. BetBoom Team got the other victory, topping HEROIC in 25 minutes on green and 33 minutes on red.

The remaining Group B matches resulted in draws: BetBoom vs. Tundra Esports, Tidebound vs. Tundra and Falcons vs. AVULUS.

ESL One Raleigh 2025 schedule

Wednesday matches

Group A

Team Liquid vs. Shopify Rebellion

Nigma Galaxy vs. PARIVISION

Talon Esports vs. Team Spirit

Group B

HEROIC vs. Tundra Esports

Team Tidebound vs. Team Falcons

BetBoom Team vs. AVULUS

ESL One Raleigh 2025 standings (overall record followed by composite game record)

Group A

1. PARAVISION (3-0-1, 7-1)

2. Team Spirit (2-0-2, 6-2)

3. Team Liquid (2-1-1, 5-3)

4. Nigma Galaxy (2-2-0, 4-4)

T5. Shopify Rebellion (0-3-1, 1-7)

T5. Talon Esports (0-3-1, 1-7)

Group B

1. Team Falcons (2-0-2, 6-2)

2. AVULUS (1-0-3, 5-3)

T3. BetBoom Team (1-1-2, 4-4)

T3. Tundra Esports (0-0-4, 4-4)

5. Team Tidebound (0-1-3, 3-5)

6. HEROIC (0-2-2, 2-6)

--Field Level Media