On April 21, the most anticipated match of the playoffs in the VCS Spring 2023 officially took place, featuring a showdown between GAM Esports and SBTC Esports. Both teams have been long-time rivals. Moreover, according to experts, SE is currently the only team in the VCS that can pose real challenges to GAM in their pursuit of victory.
The winners’ finals truly lived up to the expectations of the Vietnamese League of Legends fans. Both teams delivered an impressive match, with GAM ultimately claiming victory in game 5. This match showcased strategic plans, individual brilliance, highlight plays, and of course, mistakes from players.
And on a day when the tense match seemed to draw the audience’s attention, a personal mistake overshadowed everything. First, in the deciding game, player DNK had the chance to use Gragas again – a champion that played a crucial role in helping SE equalize in game 2. However, for some unknown reason, DNK did not bring the Smite – an essential jungle item. Instead, he opted for Boots and a Stopwatch.
DNK’s mistake lasted about the first 2 minutes of the game, and perhaps when he realized the issue, he had to teleport back home to buy Smite. This caused DNK to fall behind in tempo and clearly, he lost his composure during the most crucial phase despite being an experienced player.
Next, it was Nper’s mistake with Akali when facing Kiaya. Both champions used Assassins (Kennen and Akali), but instead of farming and waiting for teammates to assist, Nper frequently traded blows with Kiaya. Two consecutive 1v1 losses for Nper contributed to creating a “monster” Kennen for Kiaya, indirectly helping GAM secure the victory.
– “Sty1e made a mistake, but GAM.DNK and GAM.Nper compensated for it”
– “Did DNK buy the wrong item?”
– “Going Akali against Kennen with magic resistance but still trying to solo?”
– “DNK and Nper – the soul of GAM in this match”.
GAM’s victory gives them a day off before heading into the grand finals. As for SE, this team will face a challenging match against CERBERUS Esports. SE must defeat CES to keep their hopes alive for a rematch against GAM while also securing a spot in the upcoming MSI 2023.