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Esports
The comeback kings of Europe: G2 Esports at the LEC Summer Finals
Not content with a ticket to Worlds, G2 Esports have smashed through the LEC 2022 Summer Season Playoffs and look to come out on top of yet another season.
Being a fan of G2 Esports has been a real ride these last few months. The team have kept things entertaining for the entirety of the League of Legends European Championship 2022 Summer Season, with plenty of tense, dramatic and memorable moments. The excitement just hasn't been allowed to drop.
The Summer Season got off to a strong start, but eventually the tables started to turn for G2. A string of losses left them in seventh place and it looked like their dreams might be over. However, in true G2 fashion the boys kept things light, with plenty of memes and renewed enthusiasm, climbing their way back up in an impressive run through to the Playoffs.
Now, after that heroic effort in the regular season, G2 have proven they deserve their spot, with some incredible performances on the Rift against their top bracket rivals.
G2 now find themselves with a ticket to the finals of the LEC, once again looking the title of European champions right in the eye. Can they win the final match of the season and take their place on the top of the podium? We think they just might.
A hard won battle
The road to the Finals wasn't always as clear cut as it is now. After G2's winning performance during the Spring Season, where they rose from fourth seed to champions of the LEC, fans had high expectations for their team. They looked strong and determined during their first few games, showing a tighter format and their trademark G2 attitude. Unafraid to try some risky moves, they finished each match with a flourish during these games. Their stride was broken only by Team BDS in Week Two, which did little to knock their famous confidence.
After a mixture of wins and losses, the team kept their momentum and fought to turn things around. Every loss was a learning opportunity, while every win was a well-earned cause to celebrate. G2 were by no means sailing through this season, but their grit and determination continued to endear them to the fans. As their friendships were flaunted on Twitter and fan-made memes circulated, even a bad week left everyone in high spirits.
Even when they hit rock bottom, G2 still had the fight in them. Sitting in seventh place in the table at one point, they knew something had to be done. They refused to take it lying down and regrouped, determined to hold onto their title as the Kings of Europe.
A turning tide
This is where G2's spirit really came into play, with each individual member seemingly deciding to pull out all the stops. The League of Legends World Championships were slowly creeping closer and G2 were determined to be at that tournament at any cost.
Slowly, the tide began to turn with some impressive wins, compounding over time and allowing G2 to start climbing back up the table. By Week Seven they were sitting comfortably in third place, having all-but punched their ticket to Worlds despite seeming shaky for a short while. The fans were placated, but G2 had bigger things planned.
Not content to fall into the Playoffs in mere third place, they significantly upped their game in the following weeks. G2 refused to underestimate their competition even for a moment and incredibly made their way to first place by the close of the regular season. That last week was a textbook lesson on how to pick yourself up and win.
Triumph in the quarter-finals
This is what G2 does. They know how to turn a tide. They know how to bring the fight, even when the odds seem improbable. When Playoffs arrived, they took it in their stride, having regrouped and strengthened their resolve once again. The team knew as well as anyone that coming in as the top seed doesn't mean a thing if the opportunity is wasted.
Their first match in the Playoffs was against Misfits, who'd come fourth during the regular season. G2 weren't in the habit of slacking by this point however and approached the game with a fighting attitude. They weren't just going to Worlds, they were going to Worlds as winners.
Misfits brought a strong fight, putting G2 through their paces and contributing toward one of the most epic battles we'd seen all season. The first game saw a blood-thirsty G2 smashing through 10 kills before Misfits had a chance to breathe, racking up a total of 27 to Misfits's two by the 30 minute mark.
A lesser team would have been demoralised, but Misfits wanted to give G2 a real battle, so picked themselves up and started again. This renewed enthusiasm ensured Misfits caught their chance, as G2's Rasmus 'caPs' Winther picked Twisted Fate as his champion, a surprising choice for the midlaner. It was a risky decision and one which didn't pay off as Misfits took a win, levelling the playing field.
The third game was an ode to team fights, with mini battles breaking out all over the map. Both teams threw themselves headlong into the array of skirmishes, with caPs cinching a neat solo kill that caused chaos for Misfits. Both teams continued to wrestle in the Rift for 40 minutes, but Misfits were eventually overcome by G2's best efforts.
From this point on, G2 knew what had to be done and gave their strongest performance yet in the fourth and final game. A growing tactic of spreading themselves out across the map seemed to be working and they took it through to the semi-finals.
Semis sweep
Rogue and G2 have some real history, not least due to their clash at the Spring Season final. With just months between then and now, there was an electric feeling in the air as the two teams took to the stage. Would they be able to predict each other's moves? Would they be evenly matched? Fans across the world held their breath as the two teams entered the Rift.
During the first match, the two teams quickly fell into formation. Rogue were clear in the top lane, while G2 put all their power in the bot lane. This was a chance for both support Raphaël 'Targamas' Crabbé and botlaner Victor 'Flakked' Lirola to really shine, and the pair were responsible for 14 kills in no time at all, leaving Rogue stranded and unable to reclaim the bot lane. G2 took their first win and things began to slide into place.
Having seemingly not learned from the last game, Rogue made no efforts to ban the powerful bot lane duo of Seraphine and Senna. It appeared that once Targamas and Flakked had duplicated their picks, it was all over for Rogue. Targamas once again came away with a 100 percent kill participation and caPs's penchant for risky picks finally paid off as he dominated with Varus.
A valiant effort from Rogue in what would become the final game was soon stemmed by an exceptional play from caPs in the midlane. There was no space for Rogue in the game after that, as G2's lead built upon itself and the jubilant team doubled down. In just 25 minutes, G2 had claimed their spot in the Summer Season final.
The final battle
So, once again we see G2 entering the Rift in the LEC final. While the team packs their bags for a trip to Malmö, Sweden, they await the results of the semi-finals. Will they face Rogue once again or comeback kings Fnatic? Either way, if they continue to play at their current level, there may well be nothing G2 can't do.
