As we know, on the afternoon of May 7th (Vietnam time), the first match of the group stage of MSI 2024 officially took place with a showdown between Top Esports and Team Liquid. The North American representatives were predicted to struggle to secure a victory, especially as TES has been playing more cohesively and JackeyLove is currently in great form. It was “Brother Tian” who played a crucial role in helping TES defeat JD Gaming in the LPL Spring 2024, followed by excellent performances in the finals against Bilibili Gaming. Therefore, it’s entirely feasible for TES to progress deep into MSI 2024.
However, it is worth noting that if the match is too one-sided, the pre-game moments are capturing the attention of the League of Legends community worldwide. Specifically, before the match, TL player APA engaged in some “banter” as TES banned three of APA’s champions. Even Tian became irritated and typed “Shut up” to his opponent. This is rare because while Tian may be outspoken outside the game, he usually maintains a respectful demeanor during matches.
However, Western audiences were also not accepting of APA’s ongoing mockery of his opponents. According to Tian, APA had taunted before the match began, in the waiting room, saying, “Is your mid-laner scared?” And Tian’s action was to help his teammates focus on the game.
– “The worst player of the match said that, it’s quite funny”
– “APA needs to drop the dialogue with opponents as it doesn’t help him in the match. Showing off in LCS is great, but it won’t be good at all if he comes to China without winning a single game”
– “Banning 3 champions? That’s all the champions in his limited champion pool that he can play”
– “This guy plays badly yet talks a lot”
Notably, APA is no stranger to the international stage, but he has never performed up to expectations. Among the TL members who lost to GAM at last year’s World Championship, APA was the least standout player. He was completely “shut down” by Kati, leaving Pyosik unable to carry even while playing his signature Kindred. After the recent match against TES, APA was even rated as one of the lowest-scoring players on the team, only slightly above UmTi and Yeon.
Clearly, “trashtalking” in Esports, especially in League of Legends, is a common occurrence. But letting one’s behavior go too far shows a lack of respect for the opponent. Especially when one has not truly demonstrated what fans and their team need to secure a victory, it becomes even more blameworthy.