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A real eSports festival is unfolding in South Korea, where the play-offs stage of Worlds 2023 is getting ready for the Long Circuit. The importance of the event can hardly be overestimated, as Worlds tournaments are always an epic of scillas, as well as showmanship and entertainment.
NRG and Weibo Gaming will open the play-offs of the main tournament of the season. The match already The International is interesting at least for those who play in it. Frankly speaking, no one expected to see NRG in such a stage, and they are here.
Let's try to figure out if the North American club has a chance to continue the "Western" fairy tale at Worlds 2023 and jump even higher than its head by defeating a more formidable opponent.
Let's go.
Weibo Gaming Form.
Let's open the match breakdown by analysing Weibo Gaming's match form. In this match they are playing as favourites with odds to win at around 1.115.
Weibo Gaming can be called a newcomer to the LPL, as the club appeared on the Esports radar and the big stage in 2021, and made their LPL debut in 2022.
As a rookie, the results were very good. Weibo made the top 8 twice in 2022, finishing top 6 at LPL Spring 2022 and top 8 at LPL Summer 2022.
At the last tournament played before LPL Summer 2023, the previous LPL Spring 2023 split, the team again finished in the top 6. It's not surprising, as the club has a great roster.
- Weibo Gaming roster: TneShy, weiwei, Xiaohu, Light, Crisp .
Weibo Gaming very confidently entered the play-offs of the championship. In the group stage of LPL Summer 2023 the team played on the score 10-6, which allowed to take the sixth place.
Weibo's first opponent in the play-offs was Ninjas in Pyjamas, who made a great run through the group stage and then surprised in the play-offs, reaching the top 8. But obviously they couldn't win, with Weibo winning 3-1.
Weibo's next opponent in the LPL Summer 2023 play-offs was LNG Esports, who showed top flight performance in the regular season, reaching the top 2 of the league and almost beating JD Gaming in the finals. Nevertheless, it was Weibo LNG that LNG had to deal with in the play-offs, and that match ended with the score 2-3 not in favour of WG.
In the regional finals Weibo started their performance from the lower grid, where their opponent was TES. A willful 3-2 win was a key argument in favour of Weibo's advantage in this match.
Next up, Weibo played against EDG for a slot at Worlds 2023. WBG played quite a game and ended up shutting out EDward with a 3-1 score, earning a place at Worlds 2023.
In the opening match at Worlds 2023, Weibo Gaming faced off against NRG. The match ended exactly as it should have: absolute annihilation of the first team of America and an easy victory for Weio.
Next, Weibo played against G2 Esports, and this match was perhaps the most unexpected of all at Worlds 2023. G2 Esports outplayed their vis-a-vis in a mind-blowing series, thus sending Weibo to a 1-1 score. Spurred on by the loss from G2 Esports Weibo Ledgeili to host the stage in the form of KT Rolster.
Having hit the net 1-2 Weibo Gaming without any problems swatted MAD Lions, and after that went to play with another representative of the LEC - Fnatic. Weibo Gaming won the decisive match in the Swiss stage after falling behind by one card.
Weibo Gaming's most popular champions in spades
Weibo Gaming is not known for diversity in the top line up. TheShy plays KSante (10 games, 8 wins), Gnar (6 matches, 50% wins). Sion (2 matches, 100% wins) and Renekton (2 matches, 50% wins) make rare appearances.
The ubiquitous Maokai is ignored in the forest (appeared only once and lost). But Vi (6 games, 100% wins), Elise (6 games, 60% wins), Sejuani (4 games, 75% wins) get quite a lot of attention.
The centre line is occupied by Syndra (7 games, 85% wins), Ryze (4 games, 0% wins), Talliyah (3 games, 66% wins).
From shooters like Lucian (5 matches, 80% wins), Varus (4 games, 75% wins), Zeri, Sivir and Caitlyn appeared 3 times each and only Sivir didn't win a single game.
Sapports: Nami (7 matches, 85% wins), Ashe (4 matches, 50% wins), Yummi (3 matches, 33% wins).
NRG uniforms
We continue the match analysis with the analysis of NRG's form, who have already become the main discovery of the season. In this match they will have to play as the number two, with odds to win at around 6.
NRG appeared on the scene of the North American professional League of Legends back in 2016. Back then, the club finished top-6 at the spring split and top-9 at the summer split. Since then, NRG fell into oblivion and stayed there until 2023.
They managed to return to the LCS after taking over the CLG slot. It's working out kind of well.
At their essentially first split, NRG made it to the top set of play-offs. They won the group stage 9-9, which looks pretty good overall.
- NRG lineup: Dhokla, Contractz, Palofox, FBI, IgNar .
Having taken over the CLG slot, NRG signed former Counter Logic Gaming players. After some minor roster manipulation, FBI and IgNar, formerly of Evil Geniuses and Dignitas, joined the team. So, the club is kind of new, but in essence, it's just a modified CLG, with a slightly more pleasing performance.
The LCS "newcomers" played their first play-offs match against Team Liquid. The game against a nominally stronger opponent ended in NRG's favour with a score of 3-1.
The International was even more interesting, as NRG managed to defeat the top 1 team of the regular season - Golden Guardians. And they beat them on class, with a score of 3-1 without any difficulties.
After earning a slot at Worlds 2023, the team made it to the top LCS grid where they faced C9. The game ended expectantly: 0-3 for C9 and NRG fell into the LCS net.
Already with no margin for error NRG met Liquid. The replay of the first LCS play-offs match was colourful and the result was about the same as it was with only a slight deviation. NRG won with a score of 3-2.
As mentioned above, NRG became the summer LCS champions rather unexpectedly. In the grand finals, they defeated none other than the most titled team in America, Cloud9.
The first match at Worlds 2023 the team expectedly lost. They lost to Weibo Gaming without much chance.
But then NRG got the better of them. First they beat Team Liquid, and then outplayed Mad Lions, thus reaching the basket 2-1.
In the match for the Worlds 2023 play-offs NRG faced G2 Esports, who at that moment looked like a team that could go further. And what a surprise it was to see the total domination of the Americans, running over G2 2-0 without any chances.
Most popular NRG champions
The most popular champion on the top line is Gnar (10 games, 90% wins). Jayce appeared 8 times and the winrate was 87%. Kenen was played 4 times and won all matches, KSante 4 times and 3 wins, Renekton 4 times and 2 wins.
In the forest were Vi (11 matches, 72% wins), Sejuani (10 games, 80% wins), Wukong (7 matches, 85% wins), Le Sin (6 games, 83% wins).
On the centre line it was Azir (13 games, 69% wins), Gragas (6 matches, 100% wins), Kassadin (5 games, 100% wins), Viktor (4 matches, 75% wins).
The most popular ADC is Lucian (12 matches, 83% wins). Next are Varus (8 games, 87% wins), Caitlyn (5 games, 100% wins), Zeri (4 matches, 75% wins).
Nami (13 matches, 84% winrate). Ashe and Lux have 4 games and 4 wins each.
History of head-to-head meetings NRG - Weibo Gaming
Previously, the teams have already played each other at Worlds 2023 in the group stage of the tournament. Then Weibo Gaming won in bo1.
Predicted result of NRG - Weibo Gaming in Worlds 2023 play-offs
NRG have already proven their ability on the international stage and have earned fierce honours. However, their Worlds 2023 journey will end at the top 8. I don't see how they will outplay Weibo Gaming. The experienced Chinese simply won't allow themselves to be strangled at the laning stage, and globally NRG are weaker as performers, so a win for Weibo, but I'll take NRG's card in advance.
Bottom line: 3-1 win for Weibo.
