League Of Legends Worlds Groups Day 6: Results, Recaps, And Recommendations
The League of Legends World Championship kicked off with the Play-in stage of the tournament on Friday, September 25, and after a thrilling play-ins stage, the Groups began on October 3.
The best League teams from all around the world will be facing off against each other for the prestigious World Championship, immortalising themselves in League of Legends history.
With a scaling prize pool depending on the number of championship skins being bought (of which 25% go directly towards the teams), the overall amount will likely surpass $5,000,000 (~£4,000,000). In total 22 teams from eleven regions will be competing at the World Championship.
The main event began on October 3, putting the remaining 16 teams in four separate groups. The first three competitors in each group have already been determined, with the play-in tournament victors slotting in as the fourth seed in each respective group.
The first set of Groups matches have already taken place, so catch up with everything you missed, including features and analysis, on our Worlds Coverage Hub.
Check out the everything you need from Groups Day 6 below, including all the info on schedules, teams, game recaps, and more!
GROUPS DAY 6 (FRIDAY OCTOBER 9) - SCHEDULE
Click the links to jump to the recaps and results for that game!
9am BST/ 4am EST - PSG Talon VS DAMWON Gaming
10am BST / 5am EST - Rogue VS JD Gaming
11am BST / 6am EST - DAMWON Gaming VS Rogue
12pm BST / 7am EST - JD Gaming VS PSG Talon
1pm BST / 8am EST - PSG Talon VS Rogue
2pm BST / 9am EST - JD Gaming VS DAMWON Gaming
PSG Talon VS DAMWON Gaming (REWATCH RECOMMENDATION: 2.5 / 5 - Friday Is A Happy Day, No Upsets Allowed)
The first of six decisive games in the final day of the "group of death" saw top versus bottom lock horns. It was the underdogs that bit first, as PSG looked to gain an early advantage. Diving into the river within the first five minutes, both Junglers and top-laners opened with a two versus two encounter which resulted in River opening the scoring before having his life traded. Here, PSG continued to try and get some early picks, with River picking up Canyon and Tank sending ShowMaker back to the fountain with a death to his name.
This was as good as it got for PSG though. DAMWON quickly regained composure and slowed the game down a tempo that thwarted the PSG aggression. Nuguri then showed his class, and the kills started reigning in for him and the rest of the LCK champions. DAMWON entered cruise control from the second that the first team fight came into play. PSG managed to secure the Dragon, but it came at the cost of two deaths, which gave DAMWON free range to begin pushing through the map.
With a baron swiftly secured, DAMWON showed why they were top of the group, and considered as one of the favourites for the whole worlds. It was plain sailing for the Koreans as PSG couldn't find a pick anywhere and the rotation speed from DAMWON was slick when they entered the fountain, allowing all five champions to single out the talons, and claw away at their defence. Just shy of the 30-minute mark, DAMWON increased their record to 4-0, and left PSG with a 1.5% chance of qualifying.
Rogue VS JD Gaming (REWATCH RECOMMENDATION: 4 / 5 - An Absolute Bloodbath)
This game burst into life, with both sides needing a strong early game. With a chance to either level up the group and tie for second place, or allow JDG to extend the groups out of the reach of their counterparts, this game was massive for Rogue. It was the LEC side that went out all guns blazing but struggled with the jungle. With four minutes on the clock, there was already a trade of lives as Vander slew Kanavi before LvMao answered back, and from here on in, summoners rift was littered with dead champions.
Rogue ignited the onslaught, sharing the kills out evenly between the whole side. Their control was never substantial though, often losing one or two champions in their attempts to wipe JDG off the map. The kill lead was always in favour of the Europeans, but JDG's dominance on the map began to show, picking up all of the first three dragons. After 20 minutes there had been 20 kills, and the game was poised for a huge team fight that would turn this tie in either favour.
LoKen, LvMan, and Zoom of JDG had coordinated their attack perfectly, as the fight exploded into life in the top lane. JDG picked off their opponents one by one and aced Rogue, which led them to have the game in the palm of their hands. To Rogue's credit, they didn't lie down, and came out for a further two team fights, although JDG made quick work of them and advanced onto the Rogue fountain. As the teams were going hammer and tongue underneath the fountain, it was the minions who eventually chipped away at the nexus, and the tie was ended with JDG victorious.
DAMWON Gaming VS Rogue (REWATCH RECOMMENDATION: 4.5 / 5 - )
Rogue started with just a small slither of hope, but it involved taking down the undefeated DAMWON Gaming. Should they take down the side who have barely even been scratched so far, Rogue could set up a tiebreaker against JDG. Their underdog status was paramount leading into the game.
When the times get rough, go out swinging, and from the get-go, it was clear that Rogue was determined to cause the biggest upset yet. Six kills in six minutes opened the game in the most remarkable fashion, and it was the Europeans who were initiating the fights. DAMWON are top of the tree for a reason though, and despite Rogues aggression, they often answered back with a trade and then begun to take the game to Rogue. With Canyon and ShowMaker causing huge amounts of damage in their combinations, DAMWON came out of the first eleven minutes with a 3,000 gold lead and a four kill lead.
Rogue then became reckless. Vander, Inspired, and Larssen, decided to dive on ShowMaker and chase him under the turret. Picking up the kill, they were quickly dissipated by the incoming DAMWON reinforcements, and the Koreans exerted their complete control over the map. It was looking bleak for Rogue.
DAMWON did not stop. Their dominance on the map became insane, and Rogue, despite their Hail Mary blows and extremely fun to watch team fights, quickly went ten kills and 10,000 gold down. DAMWON then began to play with their food, even though it was nipping at them. Naguri was fighting Hans Sama in his own tower trying to get the penta medal, but was shut down, and DAMWON cut the fun short and was able to efficiently destroy the nexus, securing a top-two finish for themselves and JDG.
JD Gaming VS PSG Talon (REWATCH RECOMMENDATION: 3 / 5 - A Tussle of The Three Syllables)
Pride was at stake with PSG Talon already eliminated from the group. JDG, on the other hand, had to win in order to set up a match with DAMWON for the top seed.
PSG came out the blocks with a cunning move, stacking the bot lane bushes and pouncing on the unexpected LvMao and picking up a kill in the first 40 seconds. PSG continued to out-smart JDG, and set the game up perfectly with four early kills and a 1,500 gold lead. After quite a frantic. yet calculated, opening, the tempo was reduced as both teams turned their attention to gaining buffs and working their way through the jungle.
The tie then became a spar as 15 minutes passed with minor confrontations and territory was snatched and regained. As the third dragon came into play, JDG needed a foothold in the game as PSG's strength was beginning to peak and the slight gold lead was resulting in them acquiring the stronger items before JDG. Without the dragon buff, JDG's game was growing darker, and this became reality. Around the dragon, PSG was able to get the buff and two kills in quick succession, and set their sights for the Baron. A swift show around the centre was met by the decisive team fight, as PSG chased JDG like a pack of wild Hyena's, taking down one prey at a time.
With four dead, PSG pushed into the fountain and made light work of the inhibitors, and fended off the respawning champions from JDG. The nexus fell within 27 minutes and PSG notched up their first win of the group stages, despite already being out.
PSG Talon VS Rogue (REWATCH RECOMMENDATION: 1.5 / 5)
The penultimate game of the day saw the two teams that have already been eliminated go head to head. With not much to play for, this game had a typically cagey start. Unlike both teams' earlier encounters with DAMWON and JDG where they came out of with their cylinders ablaze, this match was very much an arm wrestle.
The opening began with a slow laning phase as the likes of PSG River and RGE Finn working their way through the jungle, avoiding wards and trading each others buff. After a trade came in after 5 minutes, the brutality didn't transcend quickly. Two further picks from River and Kaiwing respectively were the only picks until 20 minutes into the game. The dragon opened up some engagements but the game failed to ignite.
PSG's slight gold lead and health buff were not enough for them to spark this snoozefest into life, and it was Rogue who began to chip away at the PSG lead.
That was until 27 minutes in, and the tactical spar led to the first team fight of the game. PSG flipped the switch and with the help of Tank, they dove headfirst through the stubborn Rogue defence. Picking up four quick kills, PSG were able to pick up the baron uncontested and enter the snowball phase of complete and assertive dominance. The avalanche of power saw them rip into the Rogue fountain and destroy the nexus without any problems, and left the World Championships with their head held high.
JD Gaming VS DAMWON Gaming (REWATCH RECOMMENDATION: ? / 5)
What could have been an absolute thriller for first place, JDG's loss to PSG means that this was almost a game of who's got the biggest muscles. Nothing to play for but confidence and flex, both of the two favourites for the world championships could use this to set the tone for the upcoming playoffs.
JDG used a Rogue-styled opening, coming out of the fountain on a bloodthirsty mission. Zoom opened the scoring, and continued to cause havoc in the opening stages by finding his second within the first four minutes on the bottom lane. DAMWONG's early start was questionable versus Rogue and PSG earlier today, and it was their opening again which was their demise.
JDG promptly stacked offensive items on Zoom and Kanavi, where they continued to take the fight to DAMWON, and the game exploded into life. The first team fight went in the way of JDG, taking out four players in rapid succession. Then, DAMWONG bounced back and answered with three kills and secured the baron, although the respawned members of JDG, such as Kanavia, were able to trap them inside the Baron pit and answer back with three more kills of their own.
The game entered a phase of team fights swinging like a metronome to either side, with JDG slightly ahead. Often coming out on top, JDG were becoming increasingly dangerous and crept up summoners rift and secured more territory. DAMWONG constantly stayed within touching distance of the side, and when it came to the second baron, DAMWON were ready with ultimate. Nuguri and Canyon swept through the oncoming JDG side, isolating the likes of Yagao. Zoom miraculously picked up a kill on Canyon after activating his stopwatch, saving the game for JDG. This allowed more time for JDG to head to the baron which never got taken down, and stole it from the grasp of DAMWON, asserting the dominance on the game again. From here, they picked off another wave of DAMWON attacks, managing to take their inhibitor turret - the first one DAMWON had lost in six games.
As the game continued to excite, the quality was evident. It was JDG's early lead which could not be clawed back and after one further team fight, which was significantly uncoordinated by DAMWON even though they initiated it, JDG aced the group winners in the middle lane and smashed through the inhibitors and destroyed the nexus to prove that DAMWON can be beaten, and in the words of Medic, "Gods can bleed".
Stay up to date with all the latest esports and gaming news by checking out our social channels here: Twitter | Facebook
Images via Riot Games