CTBC Flying Oysters has once again confirmed their incredible form by dominating
Top Esports with a 2-0 victory. With this win, they are now guaranteed to finish second in the group stage of
First Stand 2025, defying all expectations. Their triumph brings joy to many in Europe, as Karmine Corp, despite being 1-3, is now assured of avoiding elimination. Meanwhile, Top Esports must await the result of the upcoming match between Hanwha Life Esports and Team Liquid to determine their fate.
This First Stand 2025 group stage has been full of surprises. One team that everyone underestimated has just shaken up the global rankings of major regions. CFO finishes their group stage with a 3-1 record and will at least leave this tournament with wins over the champions of LTA, LEC, and LPL.
On the other hand, TES has once again underperformed on the international stage. Following a
disappointing 3-0 defeat to G2 Esports at MSI 2024 and another
3-0 loss to T1 in the Worlds quarterfinals, they now find themselves at 1-3 in First Stand. Their only hope is for HLE to defeat TL, securing them a spot in tomorrow’s semifinals and avoiding the embarrassment of being labeled the worst-performing region in the tournament.
Overall, the team’s mid-jungle duo has been disappointing, despite being expected to be the most dominant in the tournament. Seo "
Kanavi" Jin-hyeok lacks his usual sharpness, and the removal of lane swapping seems to have affected them more than other teams. In the press conference after the game, he admitted:
"To be honest, I'm not sure what to say. I feel we have so many issues and we don't know how to solve them for now." Meanwhile, Wenbo "
JackeyLove" Yu in the botlane has also failed to deliver strong performances, as seen in his struggles against Chiu "
Doggo" Tzu-Chuan today.
In the end, TES is merely a stepping stone in the incredible story that CFO is writing. It’s worth noting that the LCP is only in its first year of existence, and this remarkable achievement suggests that the region may still have a deep pool of untapped talent. Now, all eyes are on the semifinals tomorrow, where CFO will look to continue their historic run.
