With just half a month left in the LPL's third stage group matches, TES faced their ninth match against JDG on the last competition day. The two teams battled fiercely for three games, with T1 winning 2:1, solidifying their position at the top of the group. Although JDG lost, their performance showed signs of improvement compared to previous matches; however, there are still some issues with team communication and decision-making, which could improve with time.

In another match on the same day, BLG faced off against AL. Before the game started, there weren't many viewers betting on AL, as BLG hadn't lost a single match in the new stage, while AL had been struggling, even dropping out of the top four in the standings. This match also went to three games, and in a surprising turn, AL defeated the skeptics with a score of 2:1. For those who missed it, it's a pity, as they missed an unusual and intense match.

Let’s briefly recap this BO3. The first game was a complete domination by BLG, where the early game saw Shadou eliminate Xiaokex twice. Following that, BLG triumphed in team fights, and by the 17th minute, the kill count was 7:1 with a 4K gold lead. With a strong start, BLG played steadily, securing both the dragon soul and Baron before finishing the match. The second game was a bit more abstract, as BLG, despite having a significant advantage, was turned around by AL.

In the early game, BLG invaded the jungle 3v4 and managed a 1-for-3 trade, with Left Hand securing two kills at the start. ELK could have retreated but ended up dying after a recall near a ward, though it didn't have a major impact. By the 20th minute, Left Hand was 5-0 with a 3K gold lead. The crucial fight at the Herald saw Knight get eliminated due to poor positioning, leading to a team fight loss and the loss of Herald. After that, BLG struggled in team fights.

In the second game, the 5-0 Viktor made some risky plays that cost them the match, which was already quite abstract. However, compared to the third game, it was merely a minor issue. In the decisive match, both teams fought for 50 minutes before a winner was determined. The early to mid-game saw back-and-forth exchanges with even economic standings, but as the game progressed, once ELK and Yuna grew stronger, AL struggled in team fights. By the 29th minute, BLG had a 9K gold lead, making it nearly impossible for them to lose.

However, a seemingly unwinnable situation was complicated by the dragon soul. After winning the Baron fight, BLG took the Baron and returned to base, giving AL time to secure the dragon. With the fire dragon soul in hand, AL still found it difficult to win team fights, and BLG managed to push down two lanes. Yet, whenever the match seemed to be ending, someone stepped up to defend. In the later team fights, AL repeatedly melted ELK and even secured three dragon souls.

Despite having three dragon souls, AL couldn't finish the match in one go. Ultimately, it came down to a decisive fight where Tarzan secured the ancient dragon soul, ending the game. Although it was a tense match, both teams delivered an exciting and engaging final game. Even with a nearly 10K lead, BLG managed to lose; it's incredible that every time ELK was in a seemingly invincible position, he was the first to get eliminated. His playstyle and positioning were reminiscent of Knight's in the second game, which was a bit too flashy.

Bin's performance on Ornn was also remarkable, with a record of 10-1-20, achieving a KDA of 30, taking 57,000 damage, and dealing 49,000 damage. These three stats set new records in LPL history for Ornn, ranking him first on the leaderboard. Calling him the "historical first Ornn" is not an exaggeration. In this match, he truly deserved the praise for BLG's loss, and it's a pity that if ELK had performed normally, BLG wouldn't have lost.

Conclusion:

BLG won the team fight and secured the dragon soul, while AL won the team fight and secured the ancient dragon. Both teams displayed quite abstract strategies. BLG's two carries had one misstep each, but had there been no issues with Left Hand and ELK in any of the games, BLG would have won them all. Yuna is currently an extremely powerful champion in this version, becoming nearly invincible in the late game, yet ELK keeps getting eliminated, which is indeed quite abstract.

So what do you think, did Binge lose?

Feel free to leave your comments and discuss!