The match between Gen.G and G2 was truly exciting, and SofM was also “mentioned”.
Kicking off the Group Stage of MSI 2023 was the match between two powerful teams representing the LCK and LEC regions: Gen.G facing off against G2 Esports. This was a highly anticipated match as both teams had aggressive playstyles. G2, representing Europe, is also famous for its unpredictability and creativity in the draft phase, exemplified by Caps’ Mid Lane Nautilus at this MSI. Furthermore, the team that wins will gain a significant advantage on their path to the championship.
After 4 intense games, Gen.G won decisively with a score of 3-1. Notably, all of G2’s strategies were thoroughly countered. On a day when G2 did not perform well, the bright spots like Yike or Hans sama could not compensate for the completely disadvantaged positions such as BrokenBlade or especially Caps. This defeat forced G2 to drop to the lower bracket.
The audience was also extremely excited, following every development of the match. In game 1, G2 had an early advantage, but the brilliance of Chovy regained everything. Meanwhile, in game 4, both teams fought for every inch until Doran and Peyz spoke up to help Gen.G claim victory. Even the commentators of the match and quite a few viewers had to “breathe oxygen”.
The two names most mentioned after the match were Peyz (Gen.G) and Yike (G2). While watching the match with Flandre, Uzi admitted he only wanted to see the performance of the 2005-born ADC. Meanwhile, Flandre commented: “This kid reminds us of you when you were young, right Uzi?”.
In his first MSI appearance, Peyz was initially overwhelmed in the first game. But after finding his rhythm, he proved why he could win a championship as soon as he joined the LCK. Peyz’s high-class performance, especially in game 4, completely overshadowed the experienced veteran on the opposite side – Hans sama.
Meanwhile, regarding Yike, he is showing that G2 has indeed found Jankos’ successor. In fact, the audience in the LPL was so astonished by Yike’s performance that they mentioned both SofM and Canyon. One viewer analyzed: “Watching Yike play feels like a combination of SofM, Canyon, and Karsa. Truly a European prodigy. He plays as if he has been competing at a world-class level for a long time. The team-carrying ability of Canyon, the stable performance of Karsa, and the unpredictability of SofM”. Some even pointed out: if it weren’t for Yike, G2 might have lost even faster. Before joining G2, Yike had only played in the lower leagues of the LEC.
Gen.G is currently solidly continuing their journey in the upper bracket while G2 will have to start “climbing the mountain”. But the audience can be satisfied with the opener of MSI 2023 and have grounds to believe that the upcoming matches will be even more exciting and dramatic.