25.10.26 - 14:0025.10.2026 - 14:00·4m4 minutes de lecture·
Par Armand Luque
TSW Pun: "We've set higher expectations this year, but seeing that we're not getting any closer feels quite frustrating"
Following Team Secret Whales’ defeat to IG, Pun spoke to Sheep Esports. He reflected on his team’s rough start to the Worlds 2026 Swiss Stage, the difficulties of finding scrim partners, and the underdog status of both his team and the region as a whole.
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"We've mostly been scrimming CFO. We haven't had much chance to face other teams"
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are already up against the wall. After losing to LYON in their opening match of the Worlds 2026 Swiss Stage, the LCP champions suffered a second consecutive defeat on Saturday, this time at the hands of . Now sitting at 0–2, TSW can no longer afford to slip up. With elimination looming just one loss away, the Whales must win three consecutive best-of-three series to secure a place in the playoffs. The road ahead is a long one, but TSW will have an opportunity to get their campaign back on track this Monday against Brazil’s LOS.
Following the match against IG, spoke to Sheep Esports. TSW’s toplaner reflected on his team’s start to the tournament, the difficulties of finding scrim partners, and the underdog status of both his team and the region as a whole.
What happened in the match against Invictus Gaming, and what do you think your team could have done better?
Nguyễn "Pun" Đăng Khoa: “I think we were a bit too hasty, and we were not unified when it came to making decisions.
What is the prevalent feeling after a match like this?
Pun: I feel a bit of regret, disappointment, and sadness at the same time.
What do you think will be said when you return to the hotel, and what needs to change over the next few days to improve before your next match?
Pun: We're going to have to go back to the hotel and review both of the losses that we had recently and identify what went wrong so we can fix our problems before round 3.
MVK told us they had difficulties finding scrims. How has it been for you in terms of training and finding scrim partners? Has it been difficult as an LCP team, or has it been easier?
Pun: So far, we've mostly been scrimming with CFO. We haven't had much chance to face other teams
Do you think the LCP's lack of international scrim partners is one of the reasons the region struggles internationally?
Pun: That is part of the reason, yes. But we also have to play better. We have to learn the meta by ourselves and how to execute well in it.
This is your second Worlds after last year's disappointing result. How does it feel to be back this year, and do you feel more pressure coming into the tournament?
Pun: There's definitely pressure since we have dominated the LCP. Our fans, of course, have more expectations for us going into this Worlds. There is definitely a form of pressure because we are playing best-of-ones and we have to perform right away. But overall, I mainly take it as motivation to perform better for the fans who are expecting more from us.
In the past, we've had players tell us that when they face LPL or LCK teams, they get a bit nervous because of the history behind those teams, which can be intimidating. Is this something you've ever felt yourself?
Pun: For me, there’s of course a certain pressure facing LCK and LPL teams since they have a very high mechanical ceiling. But at the same time, our playstyle revolves around constant fighting, and we kind of got used to facing teams that are supposed to be strong, so this isn’t really a concern for us.
What are your dreams as a pro player today, and what do you see as the best part of returning to Worlds for a second year in a row?
Pun: Every time we go to Worlds, we have the chance to face the strongest players in the world. It helps us learn a lot. The first time I made it to Worlds, being there felt like I was living a dream. This is my second time, though, so I have to set my expectations higher. This is why losing those first two games has hurt.
How does being seen as an underdog as an LCP team affect your perception of Worlds?
Pun: To be fair, every single time the LCP goes to Worlds, except for CFO last year who have been able to achieve a lot, we haven't been able to get very far. So them treating us like underdogs is unfortunately fair. For us, we have set higher expectations this year, but seeing that we are not getting any closer to matching them feels quite frustrating.”
