It can be said that, contrary to predictions and expectations at the beginning of Spring 2022, Team Flash, after regaining the services of Slayder, no longer resembled the champions they once were. In Spring 2022, they performed slightly better with a few wins instead of waiting until the end of the group stage. However, that was still not enough. “The swallow” Slayder could not revive TF, leading the team to face the dangerous promotion round.
Yet even so, TF was still believed to easily retain their spot in Vietnam’s number one League of Legends tournament. However, things no longer went according to plan. The first defeat to AS Esports raised considerable concerns about TF’s journey. But there was still hope when Slayder and his teammates had one more match against Burst The Sky Esports.
But then, the last glimmer of hope for TF and their fans could not be converted into victory. SKY dominated all four games, including the game where TF managed to win. Meanwhile, TF failed to show the determination of a team pushed to the wall. In every game, they were overwhelmed, and if it weren’t for Slayder’s star moments or Yoshino occasionally waking up, the score could have easily been 3-0 in favor of SKY.
With the defeat to SKY, TF is officially relegated. Since TF became a force in the highest-level League of Legends tournament in Vietnam, they must return to VCS B. This is something very hard to accept, knowing that just in the 2020 season, TF was the VCS champion. Back then, many fans regretted that TF could not participate in international tournaments due to the impact of COVID-19. And now, they have completely collapsed, raising concerns about potential dissolution.
Regardless of what the future holds, one thing can be drawn: becoming a champion is difficult, but staying at the top is even harder. TF may rebuild, or the players may leave to find new homes. And in the end, only regret remains for one of the names once considered capable of challenging the strength of GAM Esports in Vietnam’s League of Legends.