The second day of the
Mid Season Invitational Play-In has already delivered its verdict, eliminating the first team from the competition. The Brazilian squad
FURIA fought valiantly but fell 2-3 to a more decisive
GAM Esports. On the winning side,
Bilibili Gaming easily dispatched
G2 Esports 3-0, becoming the first team to qualify for the Main Stage. With this victory, the LPL becomes the second region to have two teams in the Main Stage, alongside the LCK.
After tonight's match between GAM and G2, we will know the full Main Stage bracket, which kicks off this Tuesday. As the competition does not allow teams from the same region to face each other in the first round. If G2 wins, the bracket will be set immediately: G2 will face Gen.G, T1 will meet CFO, BLG will play Movistar KOI, and Anyone's Legend will take on FlyQuest. If GAM wins, however, a draw will be used to determine all matchups.
Brazil honored its status
Despite being the first team eliminated from the 2025 MSI Play-In stage, FURIA proved that so-called "minor" regions should no longer be underestimated. Participating in their first-ever international tournament, the Brazilian squad pushed both their best-of-five series to the limit, first against G2 and then against Vietnam’s GAM, narrowly losing each time with a score of 2-3. Their resilience, tactical clarity, and ability to bounce back mid-series highlight a growing depth of talent in regions outside the traditional powerhouses.
Against GAM, FURIA showed strong early momentum, even reaching match point after a dominant Game 3. However, GAM turned the tide, led by Đỗ "Levi" Duy Khánh’s standout performance on Viego and decisive team play. FURIA’s exit may be bittersweet, but their performance sends a clear message: the gap is closing, and teams from emerging regions are no longer just underdogs—they’re real contenders capable of pushing the best to their limits.
The gap is still clear
BLG delivered a convincing 3-0 victory over G2 in their qualification match for the 2025 MSI Bracket Stage. The Chinese squad demonstrated consistent improvement throughout the series, initially struggling in the first game but quickly adapting to dominate in the subsequent two. After a tense opening match, where G2 had a solid start and was a few auto-attacks away from winning, BLG seized control, with Yang "
Beichuan" Ling orchestrating the tempo and Zhuo "
Knight" Ding putting immense pressure on the midlane. By the third game, Bilibili Gaming had fully locked down the map, crushing G2 with overwhelming macro play and superior teamfighting, ultimately finishing the series in just 33 minutes with a 13k gold lead.
Despite showing potential in the opening game, G2's performance quickly unraveled as the series progressed. Their coordination fell apart, particularly in crucial team fights, and their vision control became lacking, which allowed BLG to capitalize on every mistake. Although G2 had some strong moments early on, particularly from Rasmus "
Caps" Borregaard Winther, the European squad couldn't maintain the discipline needed to compete at the highest level. With this loss, G2 now faces a must-win match against GAM Esports in the lower bracket for a final chance to secure a spot in Stage 2 of the tournament. The other will be eliminated.
Header Photo Credit: Colin Young-Wolff/Riot Games
