The “highlight” match on June 21 (Vietnam time) of the LPL Summer 2022 was the game between Weibo Gaming and Royal Never Give Up. This opponent can be considered a “tough nut to crack” for WBG as RNG is the reigning champion of both the LPL and MSI 2022. On their part, WBG will be the first strong test for RNG in this LPL Spring 2022. Naturally, both teams wanted to win, but WBG was certainly seen as the underdog compared to RNG.
In game 1, RNG showed how their flaws could be detrimental. Breathe played for the team, but that was still not enough. WBG proved that once they focused, any player could be defeated. Although SofM and his teammates didn’t have a huge advantage, they managed to snowball effectively.
The only issue was that they shut down Breathe but could only make GALA and Xiaohu face a bit of trouble. Moreover, at the critical moment, Angel and ON made some serious mistakes. SofM only went down twice during the match, but those were the two most important plays, allowing RNG to take the win in game 1.
Moving into game 2, WBG came back strong. SofM and his teammates gained an advantage right from the laning phase and had no trouble increasing the gap with RNG. Angel still made mistakes, but when needed, the “Angel” knew how to use the Glacial Path and Frozen Tomb accurately. ON didn’t make mistakes, and SofM and Huanfeng got to play, helping WBG bring the match back to square one.
It was thought that WBG could rely on their psychological advantage to win overall, but RNG proved their champion mentality right on time. RNG pressured from the start with a devastating Lucian – Nami combo in the bot lane. In subsequent skirmishes, RNG also held the advantage. The “Royal Legion” claimed all resources from towers to Dragons and Heralds. Just when it seemed WBG could turn the tide, RNG was too strong. And when RNG secured the Elder Dragon, they ended the game with a perfect ace.
As for WBG, they fought very hard, but fundamentally, RNG completely outclassed them. However, the journey for SofM and his teammates is still ongoing, and they still have a chance to rectify their mistakes. But importantly, WBG needs to truly learn from this defeat, especially the mistakes made in handling critical situations.