Gaming
Gaming
Edward Gaming head to Worlds Final, but T1 head home
DWG have continued their reign of terror in the Worlds semi-finals, sending T1 home. Meanwhile, Edward Gaming have reached the final for the first time.
The finalists for the League of Legends World Championship 2021 have been decided, and the stage has been set for an epic clash between China's Edward Gaming and South Korea's DWG KIA. We're in the endgame now.
DWG KIA vs. T1
DWG KIA and T1 get ready to face off in the semi-final
© Lance Skundrich/Riot Games
After an explosive semi-final weekend, the reigning champions in DWG remain unbeaten, having sent League of Legends Champions Korea's third seed T1 home. Although it was a victory for DWG, it was anything but a clean sweep on their home country rivals. In five hard-fought games, both of these exceptional teams demonstrated why they are two of the best the esport has to offer in a thriller worthy of the grand final.
DWG didn't waste any time seizing the upper hand in Game 1. Jang 'Ghost' Yong-jun was back on his signature Jhin pick, outplaying T1's Lee 'Gumayusi' Min-hyeong in the bot lane, allowing DWG to hand T1 their second loss of the tournament.
T1 turned the tables in Game 2, establishing dominance with a composition based around Kim 'Canna' Chang-dong on Yasuo. DWG tried for a comeback targeting the Baron, but T1 quickly put a stop to it, with Moon 'Oner' Hyeon-joon swooping in to steal the buff. Game 3 was another victory for T1, with a late-game godlike play from Gumayusi taking the series to match point.
Game 4 saw DWG return to deadly form, with Heo 'ShowMaker' Su taking First Blood on T1 legend Lee 'Faker' Sang-hyeok before the team barrelled ahead to an early-game gold lead. T1 did their best to keep up, but DWG's map control was unshakable. With DWG securing another win, DWG and T1 headed into the fifth and final game of the series.
Game 5 started out even-handed, with the teams trading kills, but ultimately the game was decided by dragons. DWG managed to scoop up the drakes, putting them at a significant advantage. Hoping to gain back the momentum, T1 tried for the Baron but were repeatedly stopped in their tracks. After losing a key team fight and barely managing to drive DWG back from an attempt on their base, T1 lost the Elder Dragon to DWG's Kim 'Canyon' Geon-bu. This gave DWG everything they needed to finish off T1, ending their Worlds campaign.
Edward Gaming vs. Gen.G
Flandre and his teammates get ready to take on Gen.G in the semi-finals
© Lance Skundrich/Riot Games
This weekend, Edward Gaming had their own struggle going up against the might of another South Korean squad – Gen.G. It was another five-game thriller that saw the two teams push each other to their absolute limits.
While EDG were the favourites to win, Gen.G pulled out all the stops, determined to prove that they could defeat the League of Legends Pacific Championship's first seed. Things remained close throughout Game 1, with the two sides trading blows for 28 nail-biting minutes. Park 'Viper' Do-hyeon and Tian 'Meiko' Ye were brutal in the bot lane, playing Lucian-Nami, keeping things level, even as Gen.G took the Baron. Now EDG kicked into overdrive, winning a crucial team fight for the Mountain Soul. In the end, it was a backdoor initiated by Li 'Flandre' Xuan-Jun that won EDG the game.
Gen.G tried for a comeback in Game 2, taking a Rift Herald and a Mountain Dragon to dominate the early game. Playing defensively, Gen.G held onto their lead, denying EDG the chance to catch up by taking neutral objectives and ultimately EDG's Nexus. The next game didn't go any better for EDG, as Gen.G once again scaled ahead in the early game, punishing EDG for their attempts to catch up. After more than 30 minutes, Gen.G reached the match point. EDG had to do something, and fast.
Realising they needed to switch things up, Lee 'Scout' Ye-chan picked Zoe for the first time in the tournament and subsequently picked up an early double kill, activating the rest of his team in spectacular fashion. It didn't take long for EDG to solidify their lead by taking a Herald and the First Tower bonus, putting them comfortably ahead of the competition. EDG stepped up the aggression, securing more neutral objectives and eventually forcing Gen.G into a team fight for the Nexus.
Scout once again claimed first blood in Game 5, taking down Gwak 'Bdd' Bo-seong with an assist from jungler Zhao 'Jiejie' Li-Jie. A few minutes later, EDG took the Baron as they steamrolled to another early-game lead. EDG played tight around neutral objectives, baiting Gen.G into team fights that they couldn't hope to win. At the 25-minute mark, EDG obliterated Gen.G in a scrap for the Baron, taking down all five members of the opposing team. With a huge power advantage, EDG marched on Gen.G's base, casually picking up more kills as they destroyed the Nexus.
Prior to this weekend, an all-Korean Worlds Final looked likely, but now it will be a battle between the champions of the LPL and the LCK. While T1's campaign has come to an unfortunate end, another chapter has been added to Edward Gaming's storied rise. Having never previously made it past the quarter-finals, the Chinese team will get their first shot at the Worlds final next weekend, hoping to make history by defeating the current titleholders. Can EDG overcome the odds and lift the trophy?
