On the afternoon of May 15 (Vietnam time), Saigon Buffalo officially advanced to the Rumble Stage after a hard-fought comeback against DetonatioN FocusMe. With this achievement, SGB not only dispelled all negative rumors before the entire team arrived in Busan, but the “Buffaloes” also helped secure 2 slots for VCS at the World Championship after a long absence due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
However, it should be noted that before MSI 2022 officially kicked off, SGB’s participation in this tournament instead of GAM Esports left some lingering doubts. Even within the VCS community, many expressed concerns for the young “Buffaloes.” Especially when none of the five main lineup members had international tournament experience. There were even opinions that firmly believed SGB would not make it past the group stage.
Moreover, in the international community, many rankings and evaluations were established, with several experts analyzing and concluding that SGB could be the weakest team in the tournament. And when placed in the same group as T1, DFM, and Team Aze, they would have a hard time competing for the top 2 spots with the Japanese representatives. Especially since the LJL region has Korean players who have also performed well during the 2021 season.
And right after SGB officially entered the Rumble Stage, commentator Hoàng Luân expressed his frustration over SGB being underestimated ahead of MSI 2022. Below the commentator’s post, SGB coach Ren and many VCS fans agreed, stating that the experts lacked sufficient data on SGB. Although this is just the top 2 of VCS and the Vietnamese region has not participated in international tournaments for 2 seasons, saying SGB would finish outside the top 6 is too hasty. Not to mention, DFM itself is no longer as strong as last season with the absence of midlaner Aria.
It can be said that SGB has performed very well. Even T1’s Gumayusi was surprised when facing Shogun and viewed him as an opponent he needed to avenge before the return match on May 15. There is every reason to believe that the “Buffaloes” can create even more surprises if they focus and give their best in the upcoming matches.