The playoffs have finally arrived for the 2018 League of Legends World Championships. We’re down to the top eight teams from around the world, now battling hard in best-of-five series to advance further. This particular match will see KT Rolster from the LCK taking on Invictus Gaming from the LPL, to determine who will advance to the semi-finals next week. Here’s a brief breakdown of the series.
Match One
The first clash saw KT Rolster gain a slight edge thanks to some tricky jungle ganks early on. despite using these early kills to establish pressure in the bot lane, KT seemed unable to exert pressure elsewhere on the map, as IG slowly began to claw their way back into the lead. Ultimately, IG managed to turn the tables completely as they surged to a lead of their own before swiftly ending the game and taking the first match.
Match Two
The second clash between these two teams demonstrated what would have happened if KT were unable to gain an early lead, as they did in the first match. IG soared ahead on the back of a very dominating team fight, before claiming multiple objectives, and skirmishes, as they built their lead. KT seemed completely unable to stop them from controlling the map, as IG once again ended the match fairly quickly.
Match Three
One of the craziest endings in competitive League of Legends saw IG literally two auto-attacks from winning the match and series. IG once again took an early lead, however this time KT managed to keep up the pace and remain competitive overall. Both teams worked hard to gain an edge, however whilst IG lead in gold, KT never seemed at too much of a disadvantage. The final base-race was a thing of beauty, with fans, casters, and even the observers unable to tell who won until the very end.
Match Four
After the shock of the previous matches ending, KT seemed revitalized. IG struggled to keep up with the Korean squad as they soared to their first real lead of the series, while KT looked determined to prove they have what it takes to claim victory not just in this match, but in all future matches. With their win here, KT managed to level out the score, and the fate of both teams would rest on one final game.
Match Five
It may have taken a bit of time, but IG seemed to be able to shake off the shock from game three and return to their dominant form. KT might have shown fire in the previous match, but it was completely lacking here as IG once again built an insurmountable lead while looking to close out the series, ultimately claiming the final victory they needed.
With this series now in the books, the number one seed from Korea has been knocked out of the World Championships. A surprising result for many, Invictus Gaming will now wait for the results of the other matches to determine who they will face in the semi-finals next week.
