G2 Esports delivered a jaw-dropping performance in their second match of the lower bracket stage at the 2024 League of Legends MSI, sweeping Top Esports 3-0. Defying all expectations by staying true to their playstyle, the LEC first seed eliminated the LPL team, igniting EMEA fans’ spark of hope for the tournament.Â
EMEA’s last hope in the tournament emerged victorious with a clean 3-0 score. In the win-or-die atmosphere of the elimination match, most predictions favored TES to come out on top, highlighting the talented Worlds-winning players in the roster. However, G2 once again proved to be the surprise package, stunning not only the audience with their performance, but also their opponents with their unconventional draft picks.
TES was expected to capitalize on their bot lane duo heading into the series, and it was precisely there that G2 struck first and struck hard. In the initial two games of the series, Steven “Hans Sama” Liv and Mihael “Mikyx” Mehle dominated Yu “JackeyLove” Wen-Bo and Tian “Meiko” Ye from the outset, establishing a significant gold lead that they capitalized on throughout both matches until TES’ nexus collapsed.Â
By going for a multi-AD-carry approach to their drafts, G2 not only brought firepower to the Rift but also forced their opponents to strategically allocate bans throughout the games. But with only five bans at TES’ disposal, something eventually would have slipped their minds—like not banning Draven against Hans Sama.
G2’s mindblowing drafts, coupled with their clean gameplay, leveraging their strength in teamfights, paved the way for their decisive 3-0 victory. Reflecting on the match, TES top laner Bai “369” Jia-Hao stated in a post-match press conference that the EMEA first seed has the potential to be crowned MSI champions, that is if they maintain their current form.
As G2 Esports awaits their next opponents in the lower bracket, to be determined between their international rivals and current Worlds champions, T1, or the North American last hope, Team Liquid, one thing is certain: the upcoming match will be a must-watch for League fans across the globe.
This victory also marks a significant milestone for the EMEA region. It is the first time since 2018 that G2 has defeated an LPL team in a best-of-five, and it was three years earlier that an EMEA team did it with a clean sweep. It has been almost a decade since a similar feat, giving hope to EMEA fans that maybe this year, the region will bring home more than just a few dates for the World Championship.
