Round 4 of the
Worlds 2024 Swiss stage resumed this Friday, as the path to playoffs continues to narrow.
T1 have joined
Gen.G,
LNG,
HLE, and
TES in the quarterfinals — only 3 playoff spots remain.
G2 Esports (G2) and
BiliBili Gaming (BLG) are now 2-2, with one final best-of-3 on Sunday to determine whether they fly to Paris or back home.
PSG Talon has been eliminated from the competition.
Not-so-Heavy is the Crown
Lee "Faker" Sang-hyeok's crown feels a bit lighter following T1's victory over G2. The rivalry has once again shifted in favor of T1, who have now won all three encounters between the two organizations this year. The cumulative game record between the two organizations in 2024 stands at 8-2.
In Game 1, G2 started under pressure but managed to put Steven "Hans Sama" Liv on his signature pick, Draven, enabling him to secure early kills. Despite this aggressive start, T1 responded excellently in team fights. Mun "Oner" Hyeon-jun's Skarner and Choi "Zeus" Woo-je's outstanding Gragas played pivotal roles in completely neutralizing G2's engage attempts with Nocturne and Orianna. It was a 28-minute wrap.
G2 faces its demons once again, now sitting at 2-2. They await tomorrow's draw to learn their opponent for Sunday's do-or-die series. Credit: Adela Sznajder/Riot Games.
Game 2 saw T1 take immediate control, thanks to numerous pick-offs from Oner's Vi and Faker’s Ahri. They gradually built their gold lead, and it wasn’t until the first team fights that G2's composition, featuring Gnar and once again Nocturne and Orianna, became a serious threat to T1's chances. However, G2 often fell victim to positioning errors, which T1 capitalized on with well-timed teleports and key engages, particularly targeting Rasmus "Caps" Winther, who found himself eliminated before making an impact in most teamfights.
The kings of
League of Legends reminded the world that they're here to win — even as the fourth seeds — with a decisive 2-0 win over the greatest team the LEC has ever produced. This victory
marks their ninth quarterfinals qualification in nine Worlds appearances.
Bin keeps BLG's hopes alive
Seeking a fresh start in the competition, BLG has decided to bring Peng "Xun" Li-Xun back as their starting jungler. Known for his excellent performances on Kindred, Jarvan, and Vi, BLG opted for him due to his playstyle, which aligns better with the current Worlds meta. However, his arrival did not help his team put on a better performance.
In Game 1, Lu "Betty" Yu-Hung's Ezreal took control. PSG Talon secured the champion with their last pick, and he dominated throughout the match, firing relentless poke against a BLG composition that struggled to respond. Chen "Bin" Ze-Bin's Jax was outmatched by Kennen in the laning phase, emblematic of BLG’s difficulties, seemingly unsure how to handle the composition from the PCS champions. However, PSG faltered during the first major team fights, particularly in a skirmish near the enemy red buff before the 20-minute mark. Mechanically, the gap was evident, and — despite a massive gold deficit — Bin’s Jax delivered clutch plays, while Huang "Maple" Yi-Tang's Yone failed to perform at key moments.
Without Bin's standout performance in the series, BLG would have likely struggled to defend their honor against PSG.. Credit: Liu Yicun/Riot Games
In Game 2, BLG was far more decisive — Bin locked Jax again, and lived up to his terrifying legacy on the champion. He's been BLG’s standout player throughout the competition, seemingly elevating the whole team's performance. The game was nearly a complete stomp, and PSG was quickly, brutally, eliminated. While BLG secured a much-needed win, their form was far from convincing. They now await tomorrow's draw to find out their opponent in the do-or-die series, which is their last chance for a spot in the quarterfinals.
Header Photo Credit: Adela Sznajder/Riot Games
