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We're continuing our look at what's happening at Esports World Cup 2024. The first round of the single-elimination bracket is fast approaching its logical conclusion, but we already know about the first pair of semi-finalists.
The semifinals will open with a match between T1 and Liquid. Admittedly, I didn't expect to see such a pair at this stage, but here they are.
Let's try to figure out who from the pair T1 - Liquid will be stronger and go to the Esports World Cup Grand Final, and who will have to settle for the top 4.
Let's go.
T1 Form
Let's open the breakdown of the T1 vs Liquid match with an analysis of T1's form. In this match, the South Korean League of Legends giants play as unqualified favourites with odds to win at 1.1.
T1 won at LCK Spring 2022 and then three consecutive top-2s: MSI, LCK Summer and Worlds 2022.
The curse of top-2s carried over to the 2023 season as well. At the Long Run of the Year, Faker and company took 2nd place at LCK Spring 2023, and then finished third at MSI 2023.
- T1 line-up: Zeus, Oner, Faker, Gumayusi, Keria.
LCK Summer 2023 was a real challenge for T1. The team made it to the play-offs, but did it with difficulty, taking 5th place in the group stage with the score 9-9.
There were problems for the main protagonist - Faker. The legendary mid laner injured his hand and it obviously affected the overall playing conditions of T1. But now Faker is kind of back on track.
The Faker factor has played out. T1 defeated a serious opponent in the person of Dplus and made their way to the next round, where their opponent will be KT Rolster. The latter, by the way, chose T1 as their opponent.
Next up was no less capable opponent than Dplus. Faker and company played against KT Rolster and won that match with a score of 3-2.
The opponent in the match for the play-offs for T1 was Gen.G. The first tried, and even started the game with the score 2-1, but it didn't work out: Gen.G camebacked, and Chovy was better than Faker.
In the grand final match T1 almost lost to KT Rolster after an excellent Long Sogpeg 2-0. They were saved by Gumayusi, who pulled it off on the 5th map with his Xayah.
However, it didn't allow them to win the final. T1 faced their nemesis Gen.G, where they crushingly lost 0-3.
T1 opened Worlds 2023 with a game against Liquid. Being the clear favourite of the series they closed the match against Liquid in their favour, but it was not an easy win: Liquid held on for 36 minutes and Ledge only 1 kill. Everything was decided in the final midlane brawl, after which T1 closed the series.
In a 1-0 basket, T1 ran into their own kryptonite - Gen.G. Faker and company started great, but the first LCK team was the first to adjust the pace of the game to their own and eventually win the match.
Next up, T1 faced Cloud9. Perhaps, it was the most defeated match of all that I had the chance to watch on this Worlds. Naturally, it ended in T1's favour.
After trampling Cloud9 T1 started to beat Bilibili Gaming, and they succeeded. T1 easily defeated the vice-champions MSI 2023 with the score 2-0.
In the play-offs, T1 played against LNG. Scout, who was not unreasonably named the best player of Worlds 2023, was like that until the 5th of November: T1 wiped out LNG, closing the series with a score of 3-0.
In the semi-finals of Worlds 2023, T1 faced perhaps the top contender to win the championship, JD Gaming. As formidable as the Chinese were, they were unable to outplay the experienced T1. As a result, Faker and company won the match with a score of 3-1 and T1 for the sixth (!) time made it to the grand finals of the most important League of Legends tournament. And then won it for the 4th time, which is an absolute record in competitive League of Legends and in esports in general.
After an excellent Long Cоrnеg regular season, LCK Spring 2024 T1s slipped a bit in the regular season, finishing 15-3 and in third place. T1 started the championship playoffs with a match against Hanwha Life Esports and surprisingly for me, they blew the game wide open, losing it 0-3. In the lower play-offs T1 played against DPlus KIA and beat them 3-0. Next, they defeated their HLE opponents 3-1, thus becoming the second and last Korean team at MSI 2024.
T1 made it to the Mid-Season Invitational 2024 after finishing in the top 2 at LCK Spring 2024. At the MSI 2024 MSI Play-In, T1 easily took the two series 2-0 and advanced to the Bracket Stage. They started off the Bracket Stage with a nerve-wracking 3-2 win over G2 Esports. In the match to advance to the top 3 T1 faced BLG and lost rather toothlessly with a 1-3 score. Next up was a match against Liquid, where T1 won 3-1. After that they played against G2 Esports in a rematch of the first round of MSI 2024 and again they won, but this time cleanly - 3-0 in favour of T1. But in the next match T1 could not win: BLG outplayed T1 with the score 3-1.
To play at Esports World Cup 2024, T1 interrupted their performance at LCK Summer 2024, where they had a 5-1 record.
In their first match they played against BLG, where they played as an underdog, and managed to win with a score of 2-1.
Most popular T1 champions
Fiora (5 games, 60% wins) was the most often sent to the top line. There was also Jax (3 games, 100% wins), Camile (2 matches, 100% wins), Irelia (2 matches, 100% wins).
In the forest Maokai (7 matches, 85% wins), Sejuani (4 games, 75% wins), Viego (2 matches, 100% wins).
The centre line was occupied by Azir (5 matches, 80% wins), Sylas (3 games, 66% wins), Kassadin (2 matches, 100% wins), Ryze (2 games, 50% wins).
Shooters: Varus (4 games, 50% wins), Lucian (4 games, 100% wins).
Various Sapports: Nami (3 games, 100% wins), Ashe (3 games, 0 wins), Varus (2 games, 100% wins), Miss Fortune (2 matches, 100% wins).
Team Liquid uniforms
We continue the match analysis with the analysis of Team Liquid's form. In this match, Liquid are playing as number two, and the odds on them winning are at around 7.6.
While in 2022 the team was consistently in the top of the local league, finishing top-1 at LCS Lock In 2022, and then top-3 and top-4 at LCS Spring 2022 and LCS Summer 2022 respectively, the situation has changed in 2023. At LCS Spring 2023, the team finished Top 8, which is clearly not the level of a top club.
- Team Liquid lineup: Impact, UmTi, APA, Yeon, CoreJJ.
After the unsuccessful LCS Spring, the team changed the player of the central league. The newcomer was APA, who previously played for Team Liquid Challengers.
Liquid managed to qualify for the LCS Summer 2023 play-offs. They won the group with a score of 10-8, thus securing their place in the top play-offs.
However, they didn't last long there. In the first match Liquid lost to NRG, who are surprising this season. In the first match of the lower play-offs Liquid outplayed 100 Thieves 3-1 and here they are.
Liquid's next opponent in the play-offs was Dignitas. The latter were no competition for Liquid and the match ended 3-0 in favour of Liquid.
Next was a match against Golden Guardians. Being an outsider on paper, Liquid managed to overcome themselves and closed the series with a score of 3-2. A very nervous series, where after two taken cards Liquid gave up 2, but in the end they still finished what they started.
In the match for the grand final Team Liquid played with NRG. Quite unexpectedly, Liquid lost, and NRG subsequently became LCS Summer 2023 champions.
TL later attended Worlds 2023, where they failed to make it to the group stages, eventually finishing in the top 16. After failing at Worlds 2023, Liquid returned to their home harbour and confidently finished top-1 at LCS Spring 2024. In the first round of the Bracket Stage they played against Top Esports and expectedly Ledgeili 0-3 without any competition.
At MSI 2024 Liquid took the top 6, which is a good result for a team from LCS.
At Esports World Cup 2024 Liquid debuted with a surprisingly easy win over Fnatic, thus strengthening their advantage in head-to-head meetings against the Orange.
Team Liquid's most popular champions
Kenen (3 matches, 100% wins), Gnar (3 matches, 33% wins), Jax (2 matches, 100% wins), Rumble (2 matches, 100% wins) are most often sent to the top line.
Foresters pick Vi (4 matches, 50% wins), Wukong (4 matches, 75% wins), Sejuani (2 matches, 50% wins), Lee Sin (2 matches, 50% wins).
In the mid are Ziggs (2 matches, 100% wins), Tristana (1 match, 100% wins), Cassiopeia (1 match, 0 wins), Neeko (1 match, 1 win).
On Shooters Aphelios (6 matches, 66% wins), Ashe (3 matches, 33% wins), Lucia (1 match, 1 win), Samira (1 match, 1 win), Xayah (1 match, 0 wins).
On supporting champions Rakan (4 games, 50% wins), Milio (3 matches, 66% wins), Rell (3 matches, 33% wins).
History of head-to-head meetings between T1 and Liquid
The teams have already played each other in 2024, at MSI 2024 and T1 won that time.
Predicted result of T1 vs Liquid at Esports World Cup 2024
In this match I expect a confident win for T1. Liquid are great to beat the more titled Fnatic, but they have very little chance against T1.
Bottom line: 2-0 win for T1.
