LPL's top mid laner collapsed, TES made an ultimate comeback, the jungler went 0-9, and the final match was a complete domination.

Hello to all LPL viewers and League of Legends summoners, this is World Game Gathering.

Yesterday, LPL held a spotlight match where TES, previously swept by BLG, faced AL, the winner of the second phase. The two teams played a full three games, with TES achieving a comeback victory.

This match once again showcased a reversal narrative, and AL's loss has become a hot topic of conversation.

TES turned the first game around, but the jungler struggled in the second.

In the first game, AL dominated early by controlling kills and map presence. 369's Gwen was taken down by Tarzan, leading to a significant disadvantage for TES. AL continued to apply pressure, capitalizing on JKL's mistakes in the early game, where he was caught despite having vision of the jungler, resulting in a team wipe for AL in the jungle.

However, AL made a significant error in judgment during the mid-game team fight. TES attempted to initiate on Rumble with Luo in the river, but after being pushed back by Rumble, Tarzan mispositioned himself and was caught, leading to a complete loss in the jungle.

After losing two players, AL decided to force a fight near the Dragon, allowing Gwen to make a strong comeback in the game.

After this team fight, the situation was essentially reset to an even playing field. Both teams engaged in several more skirmishes, but during a crucial Baron fight, Hope was instantly eliminated, and Rumble's ultimate damage fell short. After JKL's Xayah executed a clean-up, TES ended the game.

In the following second game, TES players all seemed to falter. Kanavi was repeatedly caught in the jungle, leading to AL capitalizing on the opportunity to secure kills. In a disadvantageous situation, Kanavi entered a feeding mode, while JKL's Miss Fortune, despite having Flash, was soloed by Sion, allowing Hope's Kai'Sa to achieve an infinite kill streak, leveling the score.

The top mid laner collapsed, and TES made an ultimate comeback.

Based solely on the performances of the first two games, most viewers felt that AL had the upper hand, especially since TES had quickly fallen apart in the second game, with Kanavi's Xin Zhao finishing with a dismal 0-9, showcasing a poor performance. It can be said that Kanavi's jungle style thrives when ahead but collapses completely when behind.

However, in the third game, TES executed an ultimate turnaround, delivering a crushing defeat to AL. In this match, AL's mid laner Shanks struggled on Ryze, falling early after being targeted and interrupted while trying to escape with his ultimate. Subsequently, AL's dragon fight crumbled, where they secured the dragon but lost 2 for 4 to TES.

The disparity in mid laner development started to show, as Crème's Ahri delivered a stunning 5-0 start, causing AL's rhythm to completely collapse in the early game, while Shanks' Ryze remained silent under pressure from Cream.

Even in this matchup, TES still gave away an opportunity, as they were team wiped during a forced chase in the jungle at 22 minutes.

Fortunately, their early advantage was substantial, allowing TES to sneak the Baron with vision control, and they ended the game shortly after a team fight. Kanavi, who struggled in the second game, played exceptionally well in the third and earned the MVP title.

Reasons for AL's decline in strength: changes in player mentality.

Shanks, recognized as the top mid laner after the second phase, showcased exceptional individual performances at MSI and EWC. However, it was evident that his performance significantly declined after the start of the third phase, with a decrease in carry potential and numerous mistakes.

Meanwhile, AL's roster issues continue to impact the team. In my opinion, a major reason for AL's decline is the shift in player mentality.

In the second phase, everyone on AL was determined to achieve results and worked extremely hard. According to Tabe, AL had the shortest sleep time among all LPL teams, as they aimed to prove themselves and achieve results. However, after losing in the last two World Championships, their mindset began to shift in the third phase.

After the exhausting second phase, AL found it difficult to maintain their previous training intensity in the third phase. The players adopted a more relaxed mentality, leading to the realization that they were struggling against many teams.

The saying "it's easier to build a dynasty than to maintain it" reflects a similar principle. With an inherently weak roster, once they achieved the top position, other teams began to study them intensely, resulting in a possible decline.