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Edward Gaming Beats SKT in Mid-Season Invitational
EDG victory over former world champions SKT proves Korean teams can bleed in tourneys.
Edward Gaming takes the stage at MSI 2015
© LoL eSports
Last weekend’s Mid-Season Invitational provided some incredible international play, as some of the best teams from six different regions met in Tallahassee, Florida, to fight over a prize pool of $200,000. The 15-game round robin sifted out two clear favorites: GN’s SK Telecom at 5-0 and LPL team Edward Gaming at 4-1, having only lost to SKT.
While EDG was able to shut out GPL’s AHQ in their semifinal series, SKT stumbled versus EU’s top team Fnatic, and took five games to close out the best of five. As many expected, SKT and EDG clashed in the finals, but few imagined that the series would end in such dramatic fashion.
MSI 2015 champs
After SKT’s convincing Game 1 victory, it looked as if the storied South Korean team would continue the dominance they displayed throughout the tourney. But EDG’s relentless assaults in the next two games quickly changed the tone of the Bo5. Game 2 got off to an explosive start, with EDG securing three kills in the first two minutes and snowballing from there. Game 3 looked similar, as EDG enjoyed a 10-0 lead by the 15-minute mark — one that only grew as the game went on.
SKT brought in a ringer in Game 4, when Faker stepped in at mid for Easyhoon, who had started up to that point in the tourney. Using a risky engage-focused team comp, SKT was able to get an advantage early and use Faker’s mechanical skill with Kassadin to win multiple extended team fights. They seemed to have regained their footing, but in the next game Edward Gaming upended them before the match even started.
EDG strategizes between games
© LoL eSports
In Game 5’s picks and bans EDG made what seemed to be a fatal error by allowing a warmed-up Faker to pick LeBlanc — a champ he has never lost with in competitive play. Yet, EDG picked champions designed to torment and harass not only LeBlanc, but also the rest of SKT, whose comp lacked engagement or wave clear abilities.
Ultimately, Game 5 was over before it began. SKT was baited into making shortsighted picks without considering the champs EDG was picking. For their last pick, EDG chose Evelynn and unveiled their strategy — roam, harass and gank. Their roaming ganks and superior team fights proved too much for SKT, and EDG wrapped up the game in under 38 minutes to secure the 2015 MSI title.
The South Korean dynasty
Before this set, SK Telecom boasted an arguably perfect record in Bo5s and Faker was 12-0 on LeBlanc. Faker and Bengi both played on the SKT squad that won Worlds in 2013, while the rest of the team joined shortly after. SKT has so much talent they felt comfortable benching world-class Faker until the fourth game of the finals. And yet, they lost to EDG after struggling with Fnatic in the semis.
So Edward Gaming’s victory proves two things: South Korean teams can bleed in Bo5s and the migration of Korean talent to China is going to have a serious impact on the international scene this season.
Fnatic’s top laner Huni
© LoL eSports
Pawn and Deft played on Samsung White and Samsung Blue, respectively, in last year’s OGN. After beating SSB in the semifinals, SSW took the Worlds title and all 10 members of the Samsung organization scattered to the wind, with many finding a home in China. Anchoring mid and bot lane, Pawn and Deft were integral to EDG’s victory, and the only other team to pick games off SKT — Fnatic — has two Koreans on its roster in Huni and Reignover.
The drain of talent from South Korea at the end of Worlds was no secret and its impact is becoming abundantly clear. Indeed, two LCS teams with high-profile Korean players — EU’s Fnatic and NA’s Team Liquid — excelled this season, taking home the first and third place in their region. And with SK Telecom’s loss it seems that South Korea’s reign over international tourneys may have serious challengers, many from their own backyard.
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