Movistar KOI just delivered a heavy blow to the Blue Wall. With a 3-2 win, they outclassed Karmine Corp and claimed victory in the first-ever best-of-five between the two organizations in the LEC. This marks a historic moment in the growing French-Spanish rivalry. KC’s defeat also finalized the lower bracket of the LEC playoffs: Karmine Corp will face Team Heretics next Sunday, while Fnatic will go up against GIANTX on Saturday.

MKOI now advances to face G2 Esports this Monday in what promises to be one of the most important best-of-fives of the year. A win would not only secure their spot in the Spring Split Grand Final, but also qualify them as one of Europe’s two representatives at the Mid-Season Invitational (MSI) in Canada. As for Karmine Corp, they fall to the lower bracket and now face a steep climb if they want to reach international competition this split.

A match worthy of the hype

This week’s “Match of the Week” lived up to its billing. The first-ever LEC series between MKOI and KC went the full five games, and was packed with suspense. From the start, the tone was unexpected. Karmine Corp entered the series as heavy favorites, having dominated the league for most of the year, and finishing first in the regular season. They even had the luxury of choosing between G2 and MKOI as opponents, and opted to face the Spanish roster.

But they dropped Game 1 right away, and spent the rest of the series playing catch-up in what turned out to be a chaotic back-and-forth. Across the board, the series showed that despite ongoing individual and team mistakes, MKOI has developed stronger drafting, better game-closing when ahead, and improved lane control and punishing capabilities.

Ultimately, it was standout performances from each player that secured the win for MKOI — especially Joseph "Jojopyun" Joon Pyun, who delivered his best series of the year, and David "Supa" García, the MVP of the series, who outshined the opposing botlane with the help of an impeccable Álvaro "Alvaro" Fernández del Amo. On KC's side, only Kim "Canna" Chang-dong showed consistent form across the series. His sharp solo plays — both macro decisions like in Game 5 and teamfight initiations — allowed KC to stay alive in several key moments.

KC’s international dreams survive, but the path gets harder

KC’s hopes of reaching an international tournament aren’t over yet. This loss is a clear wake-up call, and while their path forward is now tougher, the organization has already proven itself capable of pulling off shonen-anime-worthy comebacks when the stakes are high. For now, they’re reminded (just like Fnatic was in their loss to G2) that the LEC's crown remains heavy, and the top 4 is tighter than it seems.

As for MKOI, they’ll return to the stage tomorrow at 5 PM to take on G2 Esports. They’re guaranteed at least a top-three finish in the league, and will have up to two best-of-fives to try to reach the LEC Grand Final and get their ticket to MSI.