League Of Legends Worlds Groups Day 7: 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 7 below, including all the info on schedules, teams, game recaps, and more!
GROUPS DAY 7 (SATURDAY OCTOBER 10) - SCHEDULE
Click the links to jump to the recaps and results for that game!
9am BST/ 4am EST - Fnatic VS TSM
10am BST / 5am EST - LGD Gaming VS Gen.G
11am BST / 6am EST - TSM VS Gen.G
12pm BST / 7am EST - Fnatic VS LGD Gaming
1pm BST / 8am EST - LGD Gaming VS TSM
2pm BST / 9am EST - Gen.G VS Fnatic
Fnatic VS TSM (REWATCH RECOMMENDATION: 2.5 / 5 - TSM World First Airport)
In perhaps their best performance at this years Worlds, Fnatic took a dominant win over a hesitating Team SoloMid. A slow early game to begin the match was led by FNC’s laners winning over their counterparts. While FNC’s laners were ahead in the CS department, Okasr “Selfmade” Boderek took control of the dragons, setting up his team for an early Soul. First Blood happened at the 12-minute mark as Tim “Nemesis” Lipovšek and Selfmade found a pick onto Vincent “Biofrost” Wang, TSM replied back quickly with a gank onto Gabriël “Bwipo” Rau. FNC in hopes to keep the play going engaged onto TSM in the top lane but their overeagerness got them punished — they kill two but lose one.
Come first dragon fight, both teams were postured up to dance with TSM having Sergen "Broken Blade" Çelik Teleport in the bottom lane for a flank. FNC decided to turn onto Broken Blade while TSM started the dragon, FNC managed both to kill Broken Blade and have Selfmade walk up and steal the dragon unpunished — giving them an early Soul point. After this play, are bets were off for FNC as they took control over the game. All of the engage TSM had with their champions like Galio and Leona was rendered useless as FNC were just too far ahead.
TSM failed to utilize their compositions strengths early in the game and FNC took advantage of that, giving themselves multiple dragons. By the time TSM finally pulled the trigger, it was too late — a dominant win for the Europeans. With this defeat TSM is officially out of Quarterfinals contention, failing to make it pass the group stage.
LGD Gaming VS Gen.G (REWATCH RECOMMENDATION: 4 / 5 - Watch Out! Eep - Peanut made an oopsie)
To start the game Han “Peanut” Wang-ho went for a gank onto Kim “Rascal” Kwang-hee but blundered it giving him both red buff and First Blood. This blunder set up Rascal to have a monster early game over Xie “Langx” Zhen-Ying. What proceeded to happen in the next 10-15 minutes was pure trading of plays from both sides of the rift with Gen.G getting the better side of them. GEN were poised to continue their lead but with a set of plays of their own, LGD Gaming managed to bring themselves back into the game.
By the time it was the first dragon fight Langx was set behind in the early game, but through plays of his own he managed to turn this fight around for the Chinese representatives. A clever and patient flank onto Kim “Clid” Tae-min made all the difference as GEN were able to secure the dragon and make it a 3 for 3.
The momentum of that play wouldn’t last long though as Gwak “Bdd” Bo-seong found a great Azir-sec in the top side of the map, allowing GEN to take Baron — with this Baron GEN got themselves two inhibitors. In the midst of GEN committing to their Baron push, LGD found the perfect fight punishing the Korean representatives for overstaying — getting themselves a Baron of their own. The game finally came to its head as in the final dragon fight of the game LGD decided to push GEN’s base for the win with their Baron while GEN took the dragon. GEN took the dragon and were able to barely stop LGD’s push, later ending the game for themselves.
TSM VS Gen.G (REWATCH RECOMMENDATION: 2 / 5 - Stay winless, TSM)
With nothing to lose — due to being eliminated from Quarterfinals contention — Team SoloMid began the game hyper-aggressively going all-in into Gen.G, getting themselves a strong early-game lead. TSM brought out the solo lane focused play they showcased in League of Legends Championship Series (LCS), funnelling all of their resources into the top and mid lanes. While TSM continued the play through their solo lanes, GEN decided to punish their weaker side of the map, bot lane, getting themselves an advantage there.
Although poised with a good early and mid game, TSM fumbled the ball after GEN relentlessly with play after play clawed themselves back into the game. At the most critical juncture of the game, TSM manage to get a pick onto Clid in the mid lane to later transition to Baron. Not wanting to let TSM get away with the Baron for free, GEN go to contest. Mingyi “Spica” Lu got low while fighting Baron, forcing him to smite it for health, this led to GEN collapsing, taking the Baron as well as Spica and Yiliang ‘Doublelift” Peng — this was the turning point for GEN.
TSM tried their hand multiple times to salvage the crucial mistake they made but GEN didn’t let up. It all came to an end after GEN went for a bot lane push with Baron, TSM decided to push the mid lane — due to GEN having an exposed inhibitor. But with Baron empowered recalls, GEN were able to ace TSM and win the game.
Fnatic VS LGD Gaming (REWATCH RECOMMENDATION: 3.5 / 5 - FNC said, "Screw your bot side of the map")
Fnatic nearly one-upped their earlier performance versus Team SoloMid with their constant aggression towards LGD Gaming’s bottom side — although not always cleanly done. FNC was relentlessly punishing LGD’s bottom side from the get-go — punishing LGD’s bottom lane going for a late invade onto Selfmade’s red buff. LGD’s bottom lane tried to run back into their lane but FNC’s bottom lane punished them getting themselves First Blood. That First Blood was just the preamble of what would come for LGD’s duo. Seemingly most of the game was in the lower half of the map as with play after play FNC made sure to punish all of LGD’s moves.
An overstay and overeager play by FNC, miscalculating their power trying to punish Peanut in his own jungle, gave LGD a bit of leeway in the game. This leeway wouldn’t last long though, as FNC was overwhelming on all fronts. All of their players were firing on all cylinders and looked unstoppable, the only ones that could stop them were themselves, which they did at times wanting to bite off more than they could chew.
The game ended with LGD punishing Nemesis solo pushing the top lane while Bwipo got bottom lane inhibitor for FNC. FNC managed to collapse onto LGD in the top lane, killing four of their players and finishing the game. The game had a plethora of scrappy fights which FNC’s team composition benefited greatly from.
LGD Gaming VS TSM (REWATCH RECOMMENDATION: 3.5 / 5 - THE 0 - 6 DREAM CAME TRUE)
A tumultuous start to the game in which both of the teams traded picks and forth. TSM once again gave it all they had as — like LGD Gaming — it was their last game at Worlds, due to them both being eliminated from Quarterfinals contention. It was a hectic all-around game with LGD getting the better of the plays being made. The game ended with the final play of TSM 5-man ganking xiye in the top lane to later transition to Baron. LGD made the call to have Peanut and Langx 2-man push TSM’s base as it had two inhibitors down — they went for the win. While the 2-man pushed TSM’s base, LGD had their bottom lane contest TSM’s Baron take. This was the correct decision as even with the Baron empowered recalls that TSM had, LGD were able to end the game.
With this loss, TSM go 0-6 in their group, failing to win a single game. By far the most disappointing performance out of all of the North American teams as TSM was the first seed coming into Worlds.
Gen.G VS Fnatic (REWATCH RECOMMENDATION: 2.5 / 5 - FNC looked nice in the day but GEN ended nicer)
Gen.G turned around their rough start to the day by stopping Fnatic’s impressive day with a 23-minute win. Although Selfmade got First Blood onto Bdd to start the game — delaying Bdd’s Lucian. Bdd was able to claw himself back into the game, becoming a monster. GEN was all over the map from start to finish, stifling and stuffing any attempt from FNC. GEN had a strong early game to shoot themselves in the lead, having cross map kills from top to bottom lane. It was a pretty well-controlled game from the Korean representatives. The game came to an end after GEN started Baron with FNC contesting. GEN were able to claim the Baron but FNC managed to corral them into the top side of the map — looking for a punish. With their enemy’s base behind their backs, GEN were able to turn the fight, killing the remaining FNC members, ending the game.
With this win over FNC, GEN claim the top seed of Group C. Giving themselves a better chance in the Quarterfinals.
Images via Riot Games