It looked like a repeat of G2’s 2019 nightmare that many in esports have been talking about. However, it wasn’t T1 that fell into the pit of the Loser’s Bracket from hell, but European kings G2. T1 advanced to the second round of the Winner’s Bracket after completing a thrilling upset in a super-close game that left the Silver Scraps ringing.
T1 faced a 1-2 deficit against G2 in the first round of the 2024 Mid-Season Invitational (MSI) Bracket Stage on Tuesday afternoon at the Chengdu Financial City Performing Arts Center in Chengdu, China, but regained their focus to pull off a 3-2 comeback win.
With the victory, T1 will face LPL No. 1 seed Billabilly Gaming (BLG) in the second round of the Winners’ Bracket on April 12 in a best-of-five best-of-three series to advance to the third round of the Winners’ Bracket. If they lose, G2 will face PSG Talon in a cliffhanger match for elimination on the same day.
As expected from the European champions, G2 made T1 nervous with a series of joker picks in the first set. T1 took control of the first game with solid organization, but G2’s fierce counterattack didn’t just allow them to tie the game, but to fall 1-2.
G2’s joker pick Top Yasuo in Game 1 quickly put them on match point, disrupting T1’s rushing combinations with Jungle Rexai on Support Leona in Game 2 and Povier Top Yasuo on Support in Game 3.
T1, who went back to blue after losing the second game, tried to revitalize the mid Aurelion solo atmosphere with Joker picks, minus the thorn in their side, Jacques and Rexai, but they were backed into a corner by G2’s strong offense.
At the crunch moment, T1’s counterattack began again. G2’s joker pick, which has been featured in every set, made an appearance in Game 4, but the 사설토토 venomous T1 players pounded the incoming G2 players and started the game on a high note with a four-for-one kill exchange.
Excited, T1 came out with a carry that completely erased their earlier slump. A sharp intervention from Moon “Owner” Hyun-joon and a fantastic toss from Lee “Faker” Sang-hyeok pushed G2 forward, while Lee “Kumayushi” Min-hyung’s varus pierced G2’s champions to widen the gap.
Trapped in the early 20s by T1’s one-sided offense, G2 was unable to move. T1 regrouped and after the baron hunt, they were able to wreak havoc in the opponent’s lane, finally making Silverscraps ring for the second day in a row.
The circus continued for T1 in the fifth set. Facing a hellish schedule in the loser’s bracket, it was a chaotic situation where G2 took the lead early and T1 immediately followed. The seesaw game continued, with G2 hunting down the baron and T1 hitting the back of the pack.
In a breathless situation, ‘Hans Sama’ rushed in and the game was decided as it was. G2 no longer had a champion to threaten T1, who took down Hans-sama without missing a beat. Lee “Faker” Sang-hyeok broke Hans-sama’s jinx at the crucial moment, helping his team advance to the second round of the Winners’ Bracket.
