There was no contest. On Wednesday,
Karmine Corp Blue made quick work of Ici Japon Corp in the final of the LFL Flash In's upper bracket.
The Blue Wall secured a 3-0 victory in the first-ever BO5 Fearless Draft in the history of the French championship, with all three games concluding in under 30 minutes. The success was a collective effort, but the standout performance of the mid-jungle duo, Seo "SlowQ" Ye-bit, and Mehdi "Boukada" Lahlou, was particularly striking, as they completely shut down their direct opponents. After a standout performance in the previous round against BK ROG, Theo "Theocacs" Sauda, for example, had a nightmare evening, managing just one elimination for 17 deaths.
Thomas "3XA" Foucou, who had struggled individually last week against Solary, quickly regained his form, delivering an impressive performance on Draven in the opening game. Facing Lee "Hans SamD" Jae-hoo—who has been in stellar form in recent weeks and is one of the most credible candidates for the LEC—the French AD Carry
did not concede a single solo kill this time... He was even the one who secured a solo kill on the South Korean player during game 1. Kim "Piero" Jeong-hoon emerged from the BO5 with the highest KDA (26.5) and the best Sheep Score (88/100).
With this victory, KCB becomes the first team to secure a spot in the LFL Grand Final, marking the fourth consecutive final appearance for Kamel “Kameto” Kebir’s club. Karmine has not missed a final since finishing ninth in Spring 2023. However, their mission is to reclaim the title that was taken from them by BDS Academy in Summer 2024, after two back-to-back split victories for KC. Their opponent will not be determined until February 26. On Thursday, Galions and Solary will clash in the lower bracket for a chance to face IJC in the lower final. The winner of that match will advance to the grand final, where KCB will be the overwhelming favorite.
Karmine Corp Blue is also
the first team to qualify for the EMEA Masters Winter. The LFL is one of only three ERLs (out of 13) to receive two slots in the competition, thanks to the strong performances of French teams over the past two years. Karmine claimed for example the EMEA Masters Summer 2023 title in front of a home crowd in Montpellier. The other LFL finalist will also qualify, alongside the two finalists from the Superliga (Spain) and the Prime League (Germany). Meanwhile, only the champions of the remaining ten ERLs will earn a place in the tournament.
