Photo: LoL Esports
The logic will therefore have been respected from start to finish during the semi-finals of the MSI of League of Legends. Asia, again, has crushed the Western world. After the dry and quick victory of RNG (China) on EG (N / A), T1 (Korea) also taught a lesson to G2 (US). The Samurai were not starting favorites before the match and this defeat is not surprising. On the other hand, for the story, we would have liked to see a little more resistance. The Koreans won 3-0 and largely dominated the games today…
But when we take a step back, could we really hope for better ?
Europeans dominated from start to finish in all areas
To be completely honest, even if before the start of the match we tried to reassure ourselves by all means by leaving narrow statistics or by pointing the finger at the alleged weaknesses of T1, G2 seemed overwhelmed and overtaken during the entire series. During Game 1, the Korean macrogame spoke and although the kill counter remained balanced for a little while, the gold gap quickly widened. Control of objectives, rotations and crossmap… Strategically, the champions of LCK drove the Samurai crazy. The latter always had a time delay and any semblance of initiative, in particular the dive bot, was perfectly punished on the other side of the map. But the domination was not only collective. The players of T1 splashed the viewers with their talent in Game 2. We think in particular of the LeBlanc of Fakerat the Yone of Zeus and especially at Lee Sin from Oner. We have witnessed mechanics worthy of the most beautiful works of art. Difficult to blame the Europeans. You can’t always win and sometimes the opponents are just above.
Regarding Game 3 which lasted 20:42 minutes, there is not much to say. We felt that mentally, G2 had already capitulated and the Koreans took the opportunity to have fun by creating a show while playing with their food. The Busan public, totally committed to the cause of T1, appreciated and made themselves heard. If some thought that Faker had become a “utility” player, the GOAT of League of Legends wanted to remind today that he was still able to carry his teammates by playing champions like Tristana, The White or Akali. It promises for the final!
A heavy defeat, but a predictable defeat?
Dominated from start to finish, G2 couldn’t do anything against the Koreans and given the difference in level, we can’t really be disappointed. It should also be remembered that T1 had arrived at MSI undefeated and that even if the team showed irregularity during the competition, it was designated by all as the scarecrow of the tournament. Let’s also add that she plays at home and that she benefits from an extra soul to surpass herself. Despite his long and full career, Faker is also particularly motivated: this is the first time he has played an international tournament in South Korea.
Moreover, even though G2 made us dream by winning a lot of games at the start of MSI, increasing its winning streak to 24, the Samurai then lost their mojo. They conceded 5 games in a row, including one against T1 but also three against more modest opponents (PSG and Saigon Buffalo). Unrecognizable, several players were singled out during this bad pass. Whether at the level of the draft, team play or even confidence, G2 started late. When you rub shoulders with the cream of the crop, it is impossible to compete if you are not at 100%. It’s hard to rewrite history, but we felt that the Europeans weren’t at their peak before this semi-final… We congratulate them anyway and we can’t wait to see them again when the LEC resumes.