MOJ Shocked FunPlus Phoenix and the LPL fans
Streamer Team makes it to Demacia Cup Playoffs
The second stage of the Demacia Cup saw streamer team MOJ defeat FPX to make it to the top 8. They are joined there by Invictus Gaming, ThunderTalk Gaming and Anyone’s Legend as they take on the teams that represented the LPL at Worlds in the playoffs.
The Demacia Cup’s second stage concluded today. After three days of rapid fire Best-of-three series between the three best teams from the first stage, featuring LDL and amateur teams, and the thirteen LPL teams who did not get one of the coveted Worlds seeds, only four teams would remain to go to the playoffs. To make it there, a team would have to win two Bo3 matches. With the first round of games over and competitors down to eight - or rather seven as Rare Atoms had to forfeit due to COVID-19 cases - it was time for the final push.
IG Stands Strong Against World Elite
After World Elite’s victory against LNG Gaming on Sunday, fans were feeling optimistic about their chances against Invictus Gaming. The two teams delivered a spectacle in the opening game as despite a very strong start for An "Ahn" Shan-Ye’s Lucian who nearly decided the game, WE rallied in the mid-game and took the Mountain Soul to bring the game close to even. 41 minutes in, they almost won but IG killed two in a desperate base defense, then interrupted the back with a key Nami ult to let their teleport player backdoor the enemy base.
WE had a good start to the second game, but an overcommit in the bottom lane resulted in four kills for IG and let them close up. Invictus had a strong control on the early dragons and 30 minutes in they took the Ocean Soul and the Baron to end the series 2-0.
MOJ Shocks LPL with an Upset of FunPlus Phoenix
The streamer team MOJ was the lone survivor of the first stage, proceeding to the second Bo3 after their initial opponents LGD Gaming forfeited the first match because of COVID-19 cases. They started the first game against FPX on a somewhat even level and while many expected the streamer team to lose steam in the mid-game, early investment in their toplane Fiora paid off as she took over the top lane and propelled MOJ to victory.
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FPX’s toplane woes continued in the second game, where the MOJ top laner and jungler found early kills and a 20-minute Baron. What looked to be a close fight 26 minutes into the game resulted in four kills for the streamers as they chased and they quickly secured the game to complete the upset.
ThunderTalk Eliminate Another Favorite
After their victory against Victory Five in the previous round, ThunderTalk Gaming would have to face Bilibili Gaming. The underdogs got the early lead in the opening game and, in a midgame defined by the performances of both top laners playing K’sante, came out ahead as the BLG mid laner chased was caught out chasing for a kill in the decisive fight. BLG hit back in game two, first getting an early lead and then, after losing some momentum, reestablishing control in the mid-game. Even a heroic blind Baron steal was not enough to save TT and we finally had a three-game series.
The two teams stayed quite close in the decisive game. It was still too close to call 30 minutes in,when the decisive teamfight came. A poor positioning move saw BLG’s Xeri leave the fight for too long and without her, BLG got smashed and TT made a beeline for the enemy Nexus to secure the win.
Read More:
- Demacia Cup 2022: Livestream, Teams, Schedule & More
- The Demacia Cup Nears Playoffs
- 2022 in Retrospect: Who are the MVPs of the Major Regions
The Demacia Cup continues on Wednesday with the quarterfinals. Each day, there will be one Bo5 series starting from 10 AM CET. Don’t miss them!