We’re now down to three teams in London, with T1 and BLG confirmed as the teams playing in the MSI 2023 Lower Bracket Finals. After a World Championship that was majority Korean (3 out of the top 4 teams were from the LCK), China bounced back with BLG eliminating GEN after JDG secured their place in the Grand Finals on Sunday.
JDG vs T1
After the last remaining Western teams got swept away, the Eastern duels between LCK and LPL began, one in each bracket. JDG, the #1 LPL representative managed to secure a crucial win against T1 in game 5. This was a match between most people’s favorites to win the tournament, and it blew all expectations out of the water.
It was a grueling five game series with some of the best team-fighting we’ve ever seen in League of Legends. T1 changed their playstyle to beat JDG at their own game, but the Chinese representatives blocked the punches and came out victorious. Faker looked out of sorts in his Nautilus games and Knight was undeniably the best mid-laner on the server, in his first ever MSI.
As soon as this series ended, the little murmurs began. “T1 vs GEN again? Can GEN come back stronger and win as they did in the LCK playoffs?” It seemed like everyone had forgotten about BLG and, after today’s series, it does feel like even Gen.G themselves forgot about the LPL #2.
BLG vs GEN
Bilibili Gaming dominated the top seed from Korea in a clean 3-0 sweep that looked easy for Elk and co. On had his best series in the tournament so far, Bin put Doran in the trash and we saw Chovy and Peanut revert to the chokers of old.
Gen.G have been a top 3 team in the LCK playoffs every single split since Spring 2020. They’ve now represented Korea as the first seed in an international tournament twice, and have yet to make a single Grand Finals. T1 have been getting the “choker” label since their last MSI showing, but, when it comes to international competitions, no team performs worse relative to their regional showings as Gen.G.
Meanwhile, in the other side of the Rift, we have the seemingly unstoppable BLG running over the LCK representatives as if they were a cardboard obstacle. They had to take down RNG, WBG, OMG and EDG just to make it this far. They got demolished by JDG earlier in the tournament, yet look unphased and stronger than ever. From 5th seed in LPL Spring to Lower-Bracket Finals at MSI. What a run so far.
Is the MSI trophy headed to China again?
And just like that, in little more than 3 hours, the Eastern MSI duels left the Korean representatives in T1 at a disadvantage. Two LPL teams now separate them from the MSI trophy, a trophy which has been going to China every single time since RNG’s first win in 2018.
The only South Korean team to win this tournament previously was Faker’s SKT back in 2016 and 2017. Are the Unkillable Demon King and squad over their demons in high-pressure matches?
Or is BLG about to give us the second LoL Cinderella run in a row in international tournaments?
Images courtesy of LoL Esports.
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Mush
2023-05-19 04:23:31