RESULTS: Team Liquid Take the First Game over Cloud9 with a Surprise Backdoor

Both of these teams came into this match looking to showcase their strength, but only one could walk away with the victory in game one. Here’s a brief breakdown of the match.

Team Liquid secured first blood, catching out Cloud9’s top laner in the river as he tried to establish vision in the river. With Liquid focused on the top side however, the rest of Cloud9 rotated to the bot side to secure the first Dragon of the game. As a team fight breaks out in the mid lane, Cloud9 react much faster, flooding the area and claiming two kills before taking down the mid lane turret.

As the second Dragon spawns, both teams again clash in the river, with Team Liquid picking up a kill before securing the Dragon. With the pressure building in the bot side, Liquid use the Rift Herald to take down the outer turret, while Cloud9 responded by taking down the top lane outer turret. With the side lanes under pressure from both teams, a skirmish around mid turns into a kill for Cloud9 as they look for an advantage in positioning.

Both teams again clash in around the mid lane as the third Dragon is available for capture. Team Liquid take the Dragon but lose their jungler, allowing Cloud9 to move to and secure the Baron. As Liquid attempt to extract from the area they suffer more casualties, extending Cloud9’s lead.

Using the power of the Baron buff, Cloud9 begin to pressure multiple lanes to extend their lead, taking down turrets in the mid and bot lanes. As the teams withdraw from confrontation, Cloud9 secure another Dragon for themselves before both teams again look for vision control over the Baron area.

As the teams dance around the Baron area, minions push in waves on both sides of the map, forcing the teams to look towards wave clear over engage. Despite snagging an early kill, Liquid are unable to complete the Baron as Cloud9 continue to pressure them. When Team Liquid move away from the Baron, Cloud9 quickly rush down the Dragon before looking towards Baron for themselves.

After more dancing and stalling, Cloud9 attempt to rush down the Baron, but Team Liquid are quick to respond, catching Cloud9 in the pit and taking down three members of Cloud9 after stealing away the Baron buff for themselves. After pushing in the mid lane, Team Liquid pull back in anticipation of a fight over the Elder Dragon. With Team Liquid simultaneously contesting the Elder Dragon and pushing in the bot lane, Cloud9 seem lost in what to react to, ultimately hesitating for too long as Team Liquid backdoor the base and end the game.

Team Liquid claimed first blood in this Quarterfinal series, after a grueling game that went for 44 and a half minutes. At one point, Cloud9 had managed to accrue a gold lead of 6.5k, but in the end Team Liquid banked a gold lead of 4.2k as they closed out the game. For more League of Legends action, check out the results from the Quarterfinals match today in the EU LCS, here, and to see the rest of the post season schedule for the NA LCS, check out the Official Schedule page, here.