Chapter 142: Godly Shot! Advance To The Playoffs!
The final day of the MSI Group Stage, the battle reignites!
In a crucial match that kicked off first, EDG did not disappoint, playing steadily. Thanks to Li Fan’s stable dominance in the mid lane, they successfully defeated LMS’s Flash Wolves!
“We won! EDG gets another point! Their record is now 4 wins and 5 losses!” Wa Wa’s voice was completely different from yesterday.
After being beaten down for the past few days, there was some despair, but now his voice is incredibly loud, and the commentators have more spirit.
If EDG were eliminated, there would be no LPL teams left in the subsequent matches, and in this Mid-Season Invitational, we would only be able to watch other regions’ teams show off. How could that be acceptable?
Miller quickly analyzed the situation: “This point is too crucial. Let’s look at the current standings… SKT is 8-1 and has secured first place. G2 is 6-3, ranking second. Our EDG is now 4-5, and TSM just lost to G2 in the EU vs NA battle, with a record of 3-6!”
Rita chimed in: “This means that even if EDG loses to SKT in their last match, they will have the same record as TSM, both at 4-6. According to the rules, a tie-breaker match will be held to decide the last qualifying spot!”
Miller emphasized: “Yes! EDG has freed themselves from the desperate situation of needing to win all remaining games! They have at least secured a chance for a tie-breaker! But… I think…”
Wa Wa’s tone became serious: “No one wants to play a tie-breaker, especially against TSM, whose form is unpredictable. There are too many variables.
To completely grasp their destiny in their own hands, EDG must defeat the powerful SKT in the upcoming match!
“Exactly!” Miller picked up the conversation. “As long as they defeat SKT, EDG’s record will reach 5-5, and they will directly surpass TSM based on the head-to-head record, securing their spot in the playoffs without having to rely on anyone else!”
Defeat SKT and advance directly!
Lose to SKT and at least have a chance to play a death match against TSM.
This crystal-clear goal was laid out before all the EDG players.
It seemed like there were two choices, but for Li Fan and the others, there was only one!
When playing a match, the goal is to win. We must have the confidence to win, not to relax just because there’s a fallback option.
However, the fans in the live stream room relaxed considerably, not being as on edge as before.
First, you need to qualify for the playoffs before you can plan for the championship. If you can’t even make it to the playoffs and go home directly, what does the championship have to do with you?
In a sense, first place and fourth place are similar…
Last year, SKT also finished fourth and qualified for the Mid-Season Invitational. Everyone thought they were done for, but didn’t they still win the Mid-Season Invitational in the end?
Not only that, but they also successfully defended their title in the World Championship, achieving back-to-back championships.
【As expected of Unreal, a tie-breaker at best, that’s a relief! 】
【Having a tie-breaker isn’t something to be happy about. It’s best to win directly and avoid future complications… 】
【Right, if they can directly defeat SKT and qualify, then they truly have a great chance to win the championship. If they can’t even win this, then Bo5 will be even more hopeless. 】
【Beat SKT? But if it’s the EDG of today’s form, there might be a chance! 】
【Brother Fan! Carry us again! Take down SKT too! 】
【Whatever, let’s go for it! If we win, it’s a huge profit. If we lose… at least there’s still another chance! 】
At this moment, the audience in the live stream room had long since lost interest in watching these matches and were focusing their attention on the sixth match, between SKT and EDG.
For SKT, it wasn’t a big deal, as they had already securely secured first place with their current points, and it wouldn’t have a significant impact on their future.
The coaches of both sides engaged in a battle of wits and strategy, selecting lineups they believed were most comfortable.
EDG on the Blue Side: Top Lane Shen, Jungler Sejuani, Mid Lane Syndra, Bot Lane Duo of Kog’Maw and Lulu.
SKT on the Red Side: Top Lane Galio, Jungler Jarvan IV, Mid Lane Taliyah, Bot Lane Duo of Caitlyn and Karma.
Both teams played very cautiously in this match, giving the impression of probing each other. After all, SKT could see from observing on the sidelines how much EDG had changed since switching their starting mid laner.
They had transformed from a mediocre team into a strong contender for the championship.
Therefore, the lineups chosen for this match were more about testing skill levels…
To understand their respective strengths.
Naturally, they wouldn’t reveal their trump cards right away.
Despite it being a probing phase, both sides were playing extremely carefully.
There wasn’t a single kill in the first ten minutes…
However, both junglers had the same idea: to constantly pressure the mid lane.
But as their levels increased, Syndra’s extreme dominance could be perfectly displayed.
She even fearlessly engaged in a 1v2 when Jarvan IV ganked mid.
Relying on her incredible reaction speed, she dodged Jarvan IV’s EQ and used her held skills on Taliyah, who was trying to knock her back.
She effortlessly diffused this extremely lethal gank!
The Brazilian audience did not hold back their cheers.
Primarily because Li Fan had left a deep impression on them.
After all, he had just won the Street Fighter tournament and snatched Brazil’s spot in the World Championship…
He had also played Crossfire recently, and players certified his strong skills, which made the Brazilian audience even happier.
The reason was simple: Crossfire was incredibly popular in Brazil!
It was popular to an unimaginable extent…
It was the premier competitive game at the time, and only later would League of Legends gradually replace it.
Therefore, these Brazilians quite liked Li Fan, a League of Legends player who also played CF.
Whenever he made a brilliant play, it felt like an EDG home game.
“Unreal’s Syndra has too much dominance! Faker’s Taliyah is actually playing passively against him…”
This play directly forced Taliyah’s Flash out.
Everyone had considered the mid lane matchup, but no one expected it to turn out this way.
In reality, as a lane bully, Syndra only becomes easier to play against Taliyah as the levels increase…
If it were a mid laner of Wu Zhuang Tai’s caliber, Li Fan would have already solo-killed them in that situation.
The turning point of the match occurred at the 11th minute.
SKT’s jungle and lane coordinated a gank on mid, a three-for-two. Jarvan IV used EQ, and Galio’s Ultimate, Heroic Entrance, also appeared in the mid lane!
“Careful! SKT is determined to kill! Unreal is in danger!” Wa Wa’s voice instantly rose.
At this critical juncture, Li Fan displayed his terrifying instant reaction and skill.
Facing Jarvan IV’s engage, he didn’t panic but instead cast his Q-E combo, stunning him directly!
Jarvan IV’s engage, which had not yet activated, was thus interrupted.
“This ball stun interrupted Jarvan IV’s engage, and Galio’s ultimate is coming down, but the control chain is broken!” Rita screamed excitedly.
The landing Galio could only taunt the air, as Li Fan’s Syndra had already seized the opportunity to kite back.
Simultaneously, EDG’s reinforcements arrived instantly!
Mouse’s Shen ultimate, “Last Breath,” cast its shield on Syndra. Clearlove’s Sejuani also emerged from the side, charging headfirst at the stunned Jarvan IV!
“They’re fighting back, EDG can fight back this wave! Clearlove has been waiting in the mid lane for so long, and finally, this opportunity has come! Shen landed and directly taunted Jarvan IV. Syndra’s ultimate, “Energy Barrage,” was cast… Jarvan IV was instantly killed!”
First blood!
First blood erupted only at this moment.
EDG secured a 0-for-1 exchange, completely crushing SKT’s aggressive encirclement…
“Wow, Unreal’s reaction this wave was crucial. If he hadn’t reacted so quickly, Syndra would have been instantly killed,” Miller exclaimed, clenching his fist.
With this advantage, they could slowly snowball their lead!
After this play, EDG could control the Rift Herald with this victory.
With the Rift Herald, they successfully took down the mid lane tower.
This way, EDG’s tempo gradually fell into their hands.
However, in the mid-game, SKT, with their rich experience and the support capabilities of Galio and Taliyah, managed to stabilize the situation with a few picks, keeping the economic difference very close.
The game dragged into the late game, and SKT’s Caitlyn + Karma system began to show its powerful poke and tower-pushing capabilities.
Time reached 34 minutes, and both teams were contesting the fifth dragon, the Fire Dragon.
“We can’t let this Fire Dragon go. If we do, SKT’s poke damage will be too high,” Wa Wa said nervously.
Just as both sides were probing around the dragon pit, and SKT began to constantly poke with Caitlyn’s Cannon, seemingly gaining the initiative, Li Fan’s Syndra once again stepped up!
He controlled Syndra from an extremely tricky blind spot in vision…
SKT’s attention was drawn to the Sejuani and Shen making aggressive moves in the front, completely unaware of the fatal threat coming from the flank!
“SKT is still discussing whether to take the dragon or force an engage, their formation is a bit clustered… Wait! Unreal’s position!” Miller’s voice suddenly rose.
Syndra silently gathered a Dark Orb within the wall. The next second, Weakness Expelled pushed it out!
The Dark Orb hidden within the wall instantly traced an extremely long straight line, accurately hitting Caitlyn, who was repositioning to attack, and along with Karma beside her, they were forcefully stunned in place by this immense dark energy!
“My god… that ball push! That was too far? An extremely long-range ball push! Unreal stunned two! Caitlyn and Karma were both stunned!” Wa Wa’s commentary instantly turned into a roar.
The opportunity was fleeting!
Without any communication, Clearlove’s Sejuani, upon seeing the orb being cast, charged out like a wild horse!
The massive ice snare of Glacial Prison followed Syndra’s crowd control, freezing SKT’s Caitlyn once more!
“Frozen again! Caitlyn can’t move… Kill them! Kill them!” Miller yelled until his veins were about to pop.
The battlefield instantly exploded!
Zet’s Kog’Maw activated Bio-Barrage, standing in place and spraying wildly!
Shen charged in with taunt, adding crowd control…
In the blink of an eye, SKT’s core damage dealers, Caitlyn and Karma, were instantly melted!
“Caitlyn is down, Karma is also down! SKT has collapsed! EDG is still pursuing!”
Without Caitlyn, SKT collapsed like a crumbling mountain.
Although Galio, Taliyah, and Jarvan IV fought back valiantly, trading EDG’s Support Lulu and Jungler Sejuani, it was already too late to turn the tide.
Li Fan’s Syndra, with subsequent damage, secured two kills, achieving a double kill!
As Taliyah let out her final mournful cry, the system’s impassioned team wipe notification echoed throughout the Mineirão Stadium!
“Two for five! EDG pulled off a miraculous two-for-five! They team-wiped the arrogant SKT!”
“It’s Unreal again! It’s him! A ball hidden in the wall decided the outcome of this match! It decided EDG’s fate!”
“One push! Can they end it in one push?! The minion wave is very good now!” Wa Wa stared intently at the screen.
The three surviving EDG members, Syndra, Kog’Maw, and Shen, with the mid lane minions, pushed straight towards SKT’s high ground!
Caitlyn and Karma, who died first, still had over twenty seconds left on their respawn timers, unable to stop EDG’s push.
The inhibitors, one, two, fell consecutively!
Finally, amidst the deafening cheers of the entire Brazilian audience and all LPL fans, SKT’s base exploded!
“Victory!”
“We won! We won! We won!” Miller’s voice was hoarse. “EDG did it, they successfully defeated the powerful SKT, and through their own efforts, they firmly secured their spot in the playoffs!”
Wa Wa was equally excited: “From a bad start, to a last-minute substitution, to chasing points all the way, and finally defeating SKT themselves to secure a playoff spot! This is the charm of esports! Unreal! His performance was simply spectacular!”
Rita quickly followed up on Wa Wa’s words: “Congratulations EDG!”
In the live stream room, the comment section was already completely flooded with “EDG is awesome” and “Brother Fan is awesome.”
【EDG is awesome!!! 】
【Fan Shen! Fan Shen! Fan Shen! 】
【From 1-5 to 5-5! A heaven-defying comeback! This is esports! 】
However, besides these celebratory comments about advancing, most of the discussion focused on the final team fight, that incredibly exaggerated ball push!
【Holy crap! How did that ball get pushed that far just now??? 】
【Can Syndra’s balls shoot that far? Is he hacking? 】
【Hiding a ball in the wall? The visual effect is too cool! 】
【Director? Director, hurry up and show the replay! I want to see the first-person perspective of that ball! 】
【That distance is outrageous! It feels like almost half again as far as a regular QE combo! 】
【Bang must have been dumbfounded, a ball flying from half the screen away? 】
【This guy Li Fan plays games differently from others; he always comes up with new tricks! 】
Although the match had ended, the director thoughtfully fulfilled everyone’s wishes by showing the decisive push, specifically from Li Fan’s Syndra’s first-person perspective.
Syndra was positioned in the narrow passage between the dragon pit and the bush below the blue side, a spot that was precisely a blind spot for SKT’s vision.
She then cast her Q ability towards the solid wall, and the orb went into the wall.
Immediately after, almost without pause, she cast Weakness Expelled to push it out!
It was clearly visible that the Dark Orb seemed to be squeezed out from within the wall by an immense force, traveling an extremely long distance, instantly penetrating the narrow wall, and accurately hitting the unsuspecting Caitlyn!
“Wow… watching it again, it’s still unbelievable,” Miller said, watching the replay. “The choice of position, the understanding and utilization of wall mechanics, Unreal’s boldness is incredible, and his ideas are too forward-thinking!”
Wa Wa added with a smile: “The key is that it was extremely effective! This ball is worth a spot in the playoffs! I estimate that SKT’s players are still replaying this ball in their minds, wondering where it came from… and how it stunned them…”
Rita also smiled and said: “Everyone is asking how far Unreal shot it? I can only say it exceeded many people’s conventional understanding. This is the depth of understanding a top player has for a hero!”
The entire EDG team stood up from their seats, all with smiles on their faces, hugging each other.
At this moment, they truly felt a lot more relaxed, and now they had to prepare properly for the playoffs!
