MAD and SK Gaming Clinch LEC Playoff Spots
G2 Defeat KOI in the LEC Winners Bracket
G2 Esports won their first playoff series with a 3-1 against KOI in the upper bracket, while MAD Lions and SK Gaming fought through the groups to join them.
After G2 Esports and KOI monstered their way through the group stage to take the first two playoff spots, six teams were left to fight for the remaining two seeds. The first week already showed us several near upsets and set us up for a rematch of the 2022 Summer Finals between G2 Esports and Rogue. With both teams having made some small changes to their roster, who would take the win this time?
Day 1: Astralis Do it Again!
SK Gaming 2:0 Team Heretics
After a somewhat close bout with Team Vitality, Team Heretics had to face SK Gaming to keep their playoff hopes alive. While the Heretics started well, in the mid-game SK would show themselves to be the clearly superior team. They absolutely demolished TH in game 1, ending it with a clean ace. The second game had Heretics hold on longer, but in the end, the result was the same - they had no answer to SK's superior teamfighting.
Team BDS 1:2 Astralis
After Astralis and Team BDS both took a game off the favorites in the previous series, it was time for the two dark horse surprises to face off. BDS took first blood in the series, winning an early skirmish and playing off the pressure it gave them. Astralis tied the series with a confidence-boosting win of their own, remaining in control for much of the game before exploiting a teleport mistake to secure the decisive baron. Game three saw the two teams brawl early, but Astralis' early focus in the top lane allowed them to take over the game to reverse the series.
Day 2: SK's Biggest Upset Yet
Team Vitality 0:2 SK Gaming
With a playoff seed on the line, Team Vitality had a strong start against SK Gaming, but the German team stood their ground in the mid-game, exploited several mistakes by their opponents and eventually took over as the game progressed, eventually acing Vitality to take the win 39 minutes in. After the break, meanwhile, SK were the much better team. They had no problems snowballing an early lead for a decisive 2:0.
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MAD Lions 2:0 Astralis
Astralis, meanwhile, had to take on the MAD Lions. The first game close initially, but the Lions were able to take over and even some great Gangplank barrels by Finn "Finn" Wiestål couldn't turn it around. MAD looked much more confident in the second game and despite a few missteps kept the game in their grasp to conclude the sweep.
Day 3: G2's Off to the Final
G2 Esports 3:1 KOI
With the winter group now ready, it was time for our first playoff match. G2 Esports and KOI faced off in the upper bracket, with the winner advancing directly to the final and the loser falling to the lower bracket and facing off against MAD or SK. The former Rogue started well in the opening game before a big misplay in the bot lane heralded a series of G2 outplays that resulted in them getting the first win. The game that followed was utterly one-sided, with G2 getting a big early lead and accelerating the pace to the point that just 13 minutes in, they were 7K gold ahead. KOI tried to fight but all it did was end the game faster.
The former Rogue bounced back, however, coming out very strong in the third game and punishing all of G2´s mistake until a Pentakill for Markos "Comp" Stamkopoulos’ Sivir just outside the G2 base heralded their win. After the break, the two teams once more brawled in the early game, but despite some initial success KOI could not find a way to shut down both of G2´s carries and fell behind, in the end losing the series 1:3
Read More:
- New LEC Format Has Ruined Other Regional Tournaments
- LEC Winter Split 2023: Schedule, Standings, Teams & More
- G2 and KOI Dominate LEC Groups
The LEC winter split concludes this week. On Friday, MAD Lions take on on SK Gaming for a shot at Rogue and, from there, the finals. Don’t miss it!