LPL World Championship Qualifiers Conclude: IG Secures Fourth Seed, Rookie Eyes T1 Showdown
The LPL World Championship Qualifiers have come to an end, with IG claiming victory over JDG in the battle for the region’s fourth World Championship spot. Prior to the match, concerns were high that IG might miss out on the World Championship entirely. After all, in their previous BO5 against TES, IG was outclassed from start to finish. In the first game against JDG, IG once again looked sluggish—and just when everyone thought they were on the brink of elimination, Gala stepped up, leading his team to a comeback from a massive deficit in the second game.
Following this BO5, the top and mid lanes truly owe Gala a debt of gratitude. TheShy struggled in lane against “Xiao Xu” (Xu Jiahao): his signature 剑魔 wandered aimlessly in team fights, while his go-to Jayce was caught out repeatedly, ending up with a 0-5 record by the 16th minute. Though Rookie’s performance wasn’t as disastrous as the top laner’s, he remained largely invisible throughout the series and failed to make a significant impact. The jungle-support duo, however, fared far better than the top and mid lanes; the jungler, in particular, completely outclassed Xun in two games.
Regardless of how the matches unfolded, qualifying for the World Championship is still a positive outcome—after all, finishing 17th (at the global event) is better than watching from home. With IG’s qualification confirmed, Rookie is set to return to the World Championship for the first time in six years. His last appearance at the global tournament was in the S9 season, also as a member of IG, but he hadn’t made it back since then. Counting the days, that’s 2,211 days—frankly, earning this spot was no easy feat.
That said, qualifying for the World Championship doesn’t guarantee IG a spot in the main stage. Before the Swiss Stage begins, IG will face T1, the fourth seed from the LCK, in a BO5 to compete for a main stage berth. Having just returned to the World Championship, Rookie and his team are immediately up against one of the tallest mountains in League of Legends. Their chances of advancing to the Swiss Stage seem slim: while T1 had a mediocre performance in their domestic league, they always step up their game and become far more formidable at international events.
Yet IG isn’t without a chance against T1. Gumayusi has been in poor form lately, failing to deliver any standout plays throughout the playoffs. Gala, by contrast, has been single-handedly carrying IG recently—there could be a clear gap in performance when the two AD carries face off. Most importantly, Gala is brimming with confidence: after defeating JDG, he stated publicly in an interview, “We will stop T1.”
As LPL fans, we certainly hope IG can win, but it will be tough for IG to gain an advantage in any of the other four positions besides AD. TheShy’s current form is there for all to see; while Doran isn’t a carry-oriented top laner, he has put in an excellent performance this season. Oner, T1’s jungler, has been as consistent a carry as Gala, and his recent form is truly exceptional—he fully deserves the title of the LCK’s top jungler.
There is also a gap in the mid lane matchup. When it comes to Faker (Lee Sang-hyeok) at the World Championship, let’s just say “those who know, know.” Still, Rookie is confident—he also made a bold statement in an interview: “I haven’t lost much when playing against T1.” As for the support position, Keria’s game sense is sharper than Meiko’s, and he also holds a slight edge in vision control. All things considered, IG’s odds of winning are low, but much will still depend on their in-game performance on the day.
This play-in BO5 is definitely set to be the most talked-about match of this year’s World Championship. Both teams are top-tier fan favorites in their respective regions—even the final might not draw as large an audience. With over half a month to go until the match (kicking off on October 14th), IG has plenty of time to study T1’s tactics and playstyle. Here’s hoping the players can adjust to their best form and deliver a high-quality “appetizer” against T1.
After IG’s loss to TES, no one thought they could still qualify for the World Championship. However, JDG has proven to be IG’s “bane” this year—JDG failed to beat IG even once throughout the entire season, which is truly baffling. JDG spent a fortune to sign their Korean dual carries (Peyz and Ruler), yet they still missed out on the World Championship. It’s likely that Peyz will pack his bags and return to the LCK during the transfer window.
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