We’ve now moved into the second half of the group stage at Worlds 2018, as the various groups now contest their remaining games all in one day. How will the teams cope having to prepare for several games all in the same day and will the hopes of the West once again ride on the shoulders of only a few teams. Here’s a brief breakdown of the action.
Team Vitality vs Royal Never Give Up
The opening match of the day saw something of an upset, as Team Vitality muscled their way through RNG to kick things off. The clash between these two teams was fierce, as they both sought victory for different reasons, however in the end it was Vitality that walked away the victors, putting quite a blow in the morale of RNG.
Gen. G Esports vs Cloud9
The second match of the day saw Cloud9 completely dismantle Gen. G. While Gen. G has looked shaky the past few days, no-one could have predicted just how badly Cloud9 would maul them in this match, easily claiming victory to set themselves up for a potential spot in the playoffs.
Team Vitality vs Gen. G Esports
Back-to-back losses for Gen. G set the tone for the day, as Team Vitality make sure to leave everything on the field. The EU LCS representative did their region proud, putting the final blow to the defending champions hopes in this tournament. The best that Gen. G could hope for now at this stage would be a consolation victory against tournament favorites RNG.
Cloud9 vs Royal Never Give Up
It might have seemed like pure fantasy a few weeks ago, but Cloud9 looked dominant in their match against RNG, controlling the pace of the game as they moved to a relatively easy victory. If RNG cannot find victory against Gen. G later on in this series, they run a serious risk of falling out of the tournament entirely.
Cloud9 vs Team Vitality
It’s hard to know which team Western fans would be supporting in this match, as a victory here would mean wonders to either team. Ultimately, Cloud9 managed to pick up the win and move one step closer to a playoffs spot, whilst Vitality would need to hope for a miracle for a tie-breaker series to begin.
Royal Never Give Up vs Gen. G Esports
Western fans were united in their support for Gen. G in this match, as victory here would force a tie between RNG and Vitality, whilst Cloud9 would advance to the playoffs. Unfortunately, RNG seemed to finally find their footing, easily taking down Gen. G to confirm their spot in the playoffs and sending the defending world champions home with just a single win to their name.
Royal Never Give Up vs Cloud9 Tie-Breaker
The tie-breaker match to determine seeding was worth the wait for fans, as both teams came out of the gates swinging hard. The lead seemed to bounce back and forth quicker than it could be recounted, with both teams securing key objectives and kills in their pursuit of victory. Ultimately, RNG was able to find the win, locking in the first seed for themselves while Cloud9 would need to settle for second place.
What a day of games. With the defending champions knocked out of the tournament, and the tournament favorites themselves nearly eliminated, it’s no wonder some fans are proclaiming this to be the best event to date. For more on when the action will resume, check out the official schedule page, here.
