Gumayusi shares about HLE’s current state and the loss to DK in EWC 2026 qualifiers
Recently, HLE extended their winning streak in their most important current competition – LCK 2026 Rounds 1-2. Although the 2-0 scoreline looks dominant, the games revealed many struggles for HLE players against DK. Notably, within the same week, HLE suffered a surprising defeat to DK in the LCK region EWC 2026 qualifiers. After the win, Gumayusi and coach Homme admitted that HLE still face issues preventing them from reaching peak form.
Specifically, Gumayusi admitted: “Personally, I haven’t had much rest recently. Despite feeling quite tired, I am trying my best to manage my condition well in situations like these.” In the first game against DK, Gumayusi had a very difficult laning phase. At least twice, the HLE ADC made somewhat careless and puzzling plays that made things even harder for him.
Additionally, coach Homme acknowledged that HLE have resumed more regular scrims after periods of pausing due to a busy schedule. It’s clear that the tight schedule between LCK 2026 Rounds 1-2 and the EWC qualifiers presents real challenges, especially for teams like HLE juggling commitments inside and outside of League of Legends.
HLE has yet to inspire full confidence
In reality, HLE showed a much brighter face in LCK 2026 Rounds 1-2 compared to their performance in LCK Cup 2026. However, in several recent matches, HLE has occasionally been defeated by opponents who then went on to claim the overall win. These losses bring HLE back down to earth but also remind their fans that the “Orange House” still has many issues to resolve before the challenging Road to MSI phase ahead.