In Group A, if there is a name that could truly make T1 sweat or even defeat Faker and his teammates, there isn’t one. Even Saigon Buffalo only impressed to a limited extent, with the young “Buffaloes” still lacking experience. Teams like DetonatioN FocusMe and Team Aze are truly worlds apart from the LCK representatives. Therefore, no one was concerned about whether T1 would win or not, but rather how Faker and his teammates would perform.
In the final match of the first round of the group stage, T1 faced DFM – the representative from Japan. Counting from the 2021 World Championship to now, this is the third meeting between the two teams. In the previous two encounters, DFM made some impressions. However, in this matchup, the LJL representative has undergone many changes. And up to now, those changes have not really borne fruit.
As a result, T1 faced no difficulties in executing their playstyle. The match could be seen as a “walk in the park” for the T1 players. In it, Faker took all the spotlight. He had solo kills against Yaharong in the Mid Lane, executed smooth escapes from ganks, and his influence was immense as he participated in nearly all of T1’s skirmishes. Although DFM players put up some resistance, the skill gap was too large, and they could not stop T1 from renaming themselves “T23.”
With their overwhelming strength, Faker and his teammates concluded the first round of the group stage in the most perfect way, just as fans had predicted. In a relatively easy group, it is undeniable that Faker and his teammates securing the top spot after the first round is no surprise. Not to mention, these games also help T1 identify the best strategies to prepare for the more intense matches ahead.
As for DFM, this loss leaves the Japanese representatives with 2 losses and 1 win, placing them in third place. In the second round, aside from AZE who have almost lost hope, SGB is a very “tough” opponent. If DFM cannot secure a victory against the “Buffaloes,” they are almost certain to be eliminated from the tournament right after the group stage ends.