Hello to all LPL viewers and League of Legends summoners, this is Tianxia Game Exchange.
In the latest round of the LPL's third phase, two key matches took place, including IG against AL, where IG put on a superior performance and swept the score, while AL faced a disappointing two-game losing streak.
This match was also called a hidden gem by Guan Zeyuan, as there were simply too many iconic moments during the game.
Four spectacular moments: GALA's pentakill.
In the first game against AL, GALA chose Yuumi in the bot lane to counter the opponent's Kai'Sa. The first wave of the bot lane duel ended in a draw, but after switching to the top lane, GALA teamed up with Meiko to secure two kills, leaving the audience amazed. This play also set the stage for GALA's legendary performance in this match.
With GALA's early development, IG achieved a decisive victory in the team fight at the insect nest. AL seized the opportunity to initiate a stunning counterattack against Yuumi, but later in the Ertahan team fight, AL made a critical mistake. Rush did not retreat in time after engaging Ertahan, and Tarzan overcommitted, allowing IG to execute a follow-up team fight where GALA secured a pentakill.
This created the first iconic moment of this BO3 series.
The match was full of twists and turns; under IG's advantageous position, they engaged the Baron, leading to the second iconic moment. Shanks's Taliyah managed to steal the Baron, bringing suspense back to the game. However, this Baron steal only provided GALA's Yuumi with more opportunities to showcase her skills. In the subsequent team fight, GALA delivered an impressive performance, achieving an astonishing total of 19 kills and helping IG secure the first victory.
Hope was killed by the bear, and Meiko turned the game around by stealing the Baron.
In the second game, both teams faced a series of reversals, making it impossible to predict the winner until the very end. The round-based attacks led to two iconic moments; first, Hope was killed by the bear during a top lane team fight, and during the late stages of the team fight, Hope's Lucian, low on health, was inexplicably turned around and killed by Annie's bear.
Next came the pivotal moment that decided the outcome of the match: Meiko's Alistar performed valiantly in this game. During a critical Baron attempt by AL, Meiko switched to Smite and, in coordination with the jungler, secured the Baron.
The match continued for over forty minutes before a winner was determined. At this point, GALA's Senna had fully come into her own, dealing massive damage, and ultimately, IG swept the score to successfully defeat AL.
In terms of performance from both teams, IG remained the familiar IG, while AL was clearly not the AL everyone knew. IG's playstyle was characterized by aggressive and bold moves, often rough around the edges, which allowed opportunities for the opponent. Sometimes players could clinch the victory through skill, while other times they would fall flat.
AL has lost its way, while IG receives good news.
After this match, AL's record has dropped to 2 wins and 4 losses, placing them in a lower ranking than expected. This outcome is certainly surprising for all viewers, and AL itself did not anticipate such a difficult third phase this year, failing to secure any hard-fought victories.
I personally believe that AL is currently in a state of confusion, with all five players not performing well. The team's star player Tarzan has started to make mistakes, and the other players' strategies seem disorganized. Many decisions made in crucial moments are evidently wrong, and the players' skills are also declining.
It could be due to updates in the game version, causing AL’s previously effective strategies to falter. After experiencing two defeats, the players' mentality has also shifted.
In contrast, IG has received good news following their previous jungler crisis, as both GALA and Meiko have shown signs of returning to form. Especially GALA, who had been underperforming earlier, has emerged as one of IG's key contributors to victory this time. However, due to the previous ups and downs, many fans are hesitant to celebrate too soon.
This is because IG is inherently an unstable team, and they will face more challenges in the upcoming matches. The key is that IG needs to maintain a better form during the playoff stage.