Welcome to EGamersWorld.
We have reached a crucial moment not only in League of Legends, but seemingly in the entire esports industry in 2023. In South Korea, a huge event that promises to be epochal - the Worlds 2023 Finals - is gearing up for the Long Circuit.
There are only 2 teams left in the race for the Convocation Cup. The only bo5 separates Weibo Gaming and T1 from the coveted victory at the most prestigious event in the world of competitive PC gaming.
We are trying to find out which of the top teams will be stronger and raise the Invitational Cup above their heads, and who will be one step away from triumph.
Let's go.
T1 Form
Let's open the match with an analysis of the form of the most titled team in the history of esports - T1. In this match they are playing to their strengths, so they are favourites with odds of 1.3.
Last season T1 showed a standard level of play. The team reached the top of the table in all top tournaments, but always lacked something.
They won at LCK Spring 2022 and then three consecutive top-2s: MSI, LCK Summer and Worlds 2022.
The curse of Top 2s carried over to the 2023 season as well. At the Long Run of the Year, Faker and company took 2nd place at LCK Spring 2023, and then finished third at MSI 2023.
- T1 line-up: Zeus, Oner, Faker, Gumayusi, Keria.
LCK Summer 2023 was a real challenge for T1. The team made it to the play-offs, but did it with difficulty, taking 5th place in the group stage with the score 9-9.
There were problems for the main protagonist - Faker. The legendary mid laner injured his hand and it obviously affected the overall playing conditions of T1. But now Faker is kind of back on track.
The Faker factor has played out. T1 defeated a serious opponent in the person of Dplus and made their way to the next round, where their opponent will be KT Rolster. The latter, by the way, chose T1 as their opponent.
Next up was no less capable opponent than Dplus. Faker and company played against KT Rolster and won that match with a score of 3-2.
The opponent in the match for the play-offs for T1 was Gen.G. The first tried, and even started the game with the score 2-1, but it didn't work out: Gen.G camebacked, and Chovy was better than Faker.
In the grand final match T1 almost lost to KT Rolster after an excellent Long Sogpeg 2-0. They were saved by Gumayusi, who pulled it off on the 5th map with his Xayah.
However, it didn't allow them to win the final. T1 faced their nemesis Gen.G, where they crushingly lost 0-3.
T1 opened Worlds 2023 with a game against Liquid. Being the clear favourite of the series they closed the match against Liquid in their favour, but it was not an easy win: Liquid held on for 36 minutes and Ledge only 1 kill. Everything was decided in the final midlane brawl, after which T1 closed the series.
In a 1-0 basket, T1 ran into their own kryptonite - Gen.G. Faker and company started great, but the first LCK team was the first to adjust the pace of the game to their own and eventually win the match.
Next up, T1 faced Cloud9. Perhaps, it was the most defeated match of all that I had the chance to watch on this Worlds. Naturally, it ended in T1's favour.
After trampling Cloud9 T1 started to beat Bilibili Gaming, and they succeeded. T1 easily defeated the vice-champions MSI 2023 with the score 2-0.
In the play-offs, T1 played against LNG. Scout, who was not unreasonably named the best player of Worlds 2023, was like that until the 5th of November: T1 wiped LNG out, closing the series with a score of 3-0.
In the Worlds 2023 semi-finals, T1 faced arguably the top contender to win the championship, JD Gaming. As formidable as the Chinese were, they were unable to outplay the experienced T1. As a result, Faker and company won the match with a score of 3-1 and T1 made it to the grand finals of the most important League of Legends tournament for the sixth (!) time.
The most popular T1 champions
Fiora (5 games, 60% wins) was the most frequently sent to the top line. There was also Jax (3 games, 100% wins), Camile (2 matches, 100% wins), Irelia (2 matches, 100% wins).
In the forest Maokai (7 matches, 85% wins), Sejuani (4 games, 75% wins), Viego (2 matches, 100% wins).
The centre line was occupied by Azir (5 matches, 80% wins), Sylas (3 games, 66% wins), Kassadin (2 matches, 100% wins), Ryze (2 games, 50% wins).
Shooters set is standard: Varus (4 games, 50% wins), Lucian (4 games, 100% wins).
Sapports are diverse: Nami (3 games, 100% wins), Ashe (3 games, 0 wins), Varus (2 games, 100% wins), Miss Fortune (2 games, 100% wins).
Weibo Gaming Form
We continue the match analysis with the analysis of Weibo Gaming's form. In this match, they are playing as the number two, with the odds of winning around 3.
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 debuted in the LPL 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: TheShy, 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.
In the first round of play-offs WBG met NRG. The only team from the West only put up a fight on the first of the three maps played, but that wasn't even close to enough to give WBG problems.
In the semi-finals, Weibo met fellow vice-champions MSI 2023 Bibili Gaming. The LPL resident derby was one of the most colourful matches and ended on 5 maps with the score 3-2 in favour of WBG.
The most popular champions in Weibo Gaming picks
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.
Supports: Nami (7 games, 85% wins), Ashe (4 games, 50% wins), Yummi (3 games, 33% wins).
History of head-to-head matches
Previously, the teams have not played each other in head-to-head meetings. This match will be the debut face-to-face match between the teams.
Predicted result of the match T1 - Weibo Gaming at Worlds 2023
When thinking about this match, I keep remembering the Worlds 2022 final between T1 and DRX. Back then it looked like Faker was going to win 4 Summoner's Cup, but Deft magic worked. This time WBG has TheShy, who has a good chance to be the best player in the tournament, but only if he wins. And it will be very hard to get it: the fact is that T1 has never lost to a team from China in play-offs Worlds. And there were already 9 such matches, taking into account the game against JDG in the semifinals.
All in all, I believe in T1 again. They will take the 4th Convocation Cup.
Bottom line: T1 wins.
