KC delivered the EU Masters' first reverse sweep
EU Masters | LDLC OL and Karmine Corp Reach Finals
The EU Masters is set for an all-LFL final after LDLC OL and Karmine Corp defeated AGO ROGUE and Vitality.Bee in the semifinals. Yet while LDLC was able to easily sweep the Ultraliga representatives, KCorp had to dig deep and claw their way to victory after a 0-2 start.
After a month of games which took us form the play-ins to the playoffs, the European Masters tournament has entered its final week. The quarterfinals saw the last hopes of Prime League, Superliga and NLC fans dashed as their last representatives were eliminated. Three LFL teams - LDLC OL, Karmine Corp and Vitality.Bee - and the lone Ultraliga squad AGO ROGUE would face off in the semifinals. Would Karmine Corp continue on to defend its title, or would Vitality.Bee reach for the top on their first successful run in the tournament?
LDLC OL 3-0 AGO ROGUE
The first game started slow, but after losing the first two dragons AGO ROGUE committed to fight for the third one only to lose a key teamfight. LDLC steadily built up on their lead and, after taking three kills an the Baron 27 minutes into the game off a great flank, pushed on to take first blood in the series.
AGO ROGUE started the second game much better, securing two early kills in the botlane. Yet when they tried to revisit it 12 minutes in with an extended towerdive, they chased too far and lost four in return. This quickly turned the game around and soon, LDLC were unstoppable on the map, closing out the game in under 25 minutes.
The Ultraliga team were not ready to throw the tower, however. They rose to the challenge in game 3, taking early kills and winning multiple mid-game teamfights. However, they were not able to capitalize on their victories, and the French team snuck the first Baron to prolong the game. In the end, it came to a clutch fight for the respawned objective. While AGO ROGUE started it, LDLC OL managed to steal it and win the ensuing teamfight, getting the advantage they needed to close out the game.
Karmine Corp 3-2 Vitality.Bee
The all-LFL semifinal started with a back-and-forth first game. After a very strong early game where they set Martin "Rekkles" Larsson's Zeri behind and securing the Cloud Soul, Vitality.Bee made several questionable calls on the map where they basically conceded a Baron and ended up losing an Elder dragon. Yet when the teams clashed near the dragon again, Vitality turned the fight around and, with three kills and long death timers, took the first win of the series.
In the second game, Vitality again had a good start despite a KCorp draft that focused on early lane priority. This time, however, the game was a lot more one-sided, with the bees having a solid gold and kill lead and securing both the first Baron and the Hextech Soul. Karmine Corp tried to come back, but Mathias "Szygenda" Jensen's Akali decided several close fights and helped secure the second win for his team.
Karmine Corp was on the ropes, but they fought on, finally getting a good laning phase in the third game - and it showed. Lucas "Saken" Fayard’s Viktor got fed early and with him, the team demolished their opponents in front-to-back teamfights. Eventually, they secured the Mountain Soul and with it, they soon found their first win in the series.
Vitality struck back in the fourth game with early kills in the bot lane, but the 2021 champions won objectives in other lanes and came out of the laning phase ahead in gold. Once more, Vitality struggled in the teamfights without an early lead, and after taking the first Baron Karmine Corp quickly pushed on to equalize the series.
In the decisive fifth game, Vitality made a big mistake fighting for an early Herald and it only went worse from there. They got a second chance 19 minutes in when Karmine Corp ended up conceding three deaths one after the other, but it was not enough. KCorp made no other mistakes and routed their opponents time and again to secure the key win.
Read More:
- EU Masters | LFL and the Ultraliga Remain for the EU Masters Semifinals
- EU Masters | The French Teams Send a Message in the Group Stage
- EU Masters | Who Are The Top Teams of the Main Event?
The EU Masters finals will take place from 5 PM CEST on Saturday, May 7th. Will LDLC's undefeated streak carry them to the cup or will Karmine Corp lift the trophy once more? Follow us to find out!