The second match-up of the Semifinals between Europe’s last hope against Korea’s last hope was hyped up by the entire community, casters, analysts, players, everyone combined.
G2 Esports came off a dominant year, obliterating their opponents during the Spring & Summer LEC and winning the Mid Season Invitational. SK Telekom T1 came off after shaky seasons in Spring and Summer in LCK with their newly reformed roster around superstar mid laner, Faker.
While most casters suspected SKT to win with a 3-1 or 3-2 score, G2 Esports crushed their hopes and dreams and ended their worlds run.
Game 1. Great picks on both teams, while SKT picked up Gragas/Kai’sa, G2 Esports responded with Ryze and the duo of Xayah/Rakan. SKT secured an early advantage after picking up three kills for one. They snowballed the lead into an Early Herald and towers and kept a gold lead up until the 16th minute. After the 16th minute until the 28th minute, when a big team fight occurred, the game was quite even with both teams playing safe and not going for aggressive plays. SKT tried to force a team fight near the baron pit but has failed and were wiped off. G2 instantly went to the base of SKT and finished the game before SKT could respawn.
Game 2. G2 Esports picked up a Ryze, and SKT responded with Le Blanc and Yasuo with Gragas. While G2 secured early kills and a drake, SKT was slowly growing their gold lead over time by playing calm and calculated. They started achieving objective after objective during the game while having an aggressive vision in G2’s jungle. Even though SKT was far ahead, G2 Esports was not giving up and kept farming to stay in the game. SKT needed an Elder Dragon to be able to push and end the game. G2 did not give up without a fight, and while being behind ten kills tried their best to stop them, but failed in the end.
Game 3. SKT picked up Ryze as the first pick to deny the mid laner of G2 Esports, Caps, who performed great during the previous two games on this pick. G2 responded with an Orianna pick and a Xayah in the bot lane. Clid secured the early game in favor of SKT with first kills, drake, and herald. G2 kept their composure and kept funneling farm into their ADC, Perkz. Even though SKT had the early and mid-game, G2 made sure to look for a backup plan in the late game. Once their ADC had three items, they started forcing team fights and outplaying SKT to the surprise of everybody. SKT secured the 2nd baron and were looking to be quite optimistic in their chances to win after killing a member of G2, but G2 forced a 4v5 fight and managed to win and push to win.
Game 4. Mata subbed in for Effort for SKT. Gragas first pick by G2 after the impacts from the previous match by SKT Clid and Effort. SKT responded with a Qiyana and Varus. G2, on their own, replied with Syndra and Yasuo. Early advantage secured by Clid again, showing why he was considered LCK’s best jungler. Perkz kept dying bot lane due to coordinated ganks by mid lane and jungler of SKT. SKT secured most drakes and the first baron, which allowed them to get the middle inhibitor and start setting up for side lane pushes. The game was quite even, and the analysts expected it to go to game 5 with the gameplay from SKT, but during a fight near the Baron pit, Faker tried to flash in to kill Perkz, but Perkz had outplayed him with the wind wall, counter-engaging on him. Faker was killed instantly, and G2 cleaned up the fight 5v4. They have secured baron and ended the game, securing a spot in the world finals!
Spectacular performance from both teams, G2 Esports, has once again dominated SKT this year during an international event. During the previous match at the Mid Season Invitation, G2 Esports had more weaknesses, but they managed to overcome them and secure their spot in the world finals and a shot at the title of World Champions. The MVP of the series was Jankos with his clean gameplay and clear shot-calling. If G2 keep up their performance, they might take the second World Championship for Europe, the first one being secured by Fnatic during season 1 of League of Legends.
Stay tuned for overviews of both teams during the next week coming into the finals.
Join the Riot Games stream next week for the finals and the debut of the True Damage Group.
