On the afternoon of July 18, the match of Week 6 of the LPL Summer Split (Chinese League of Legends) between Suning (SN) and JD Gaming took place with a swift result of 2-0 in favor of SofM’s SN.
Player Lê “SofM” Quang Duy delivered an impressive performance with Lee Sin in the second game. With a staggering KDA (13/2/12), it’s no surprise that SofM took home the MVP title of that match.
Although international commentators predicted the challenges ahead, especially when facing top LPL jungler Kanavi, it was clear from the early game that SofM’s Lee Sin had to endure a lot of pressure from Kanavi’s Viego: falling behind in minions, a level down, having the red buff stolen, and losing two river crabs. Nevertheless, the 1998-born player remained incredibly calm and showcased his seasoned experience.
Always present at critical points and fully supporting his teammates, most notably coordinating with Angel to take down JDG Yagao three times in a row, this set the stage for SofM to make a comeback and even gain a significant advantage over Kanavi on the opposing side.
What was inevitable came to pass when Lee Sin in SofM’s hands became too “dominating,” clearly superior to Kanavi’s Viego not only in control but also in damage dealt during team fights. No one could believe that Lee Sin would boldly dive straight into the turret and could solo kill JDG Zoom’s Gwen at the 16th minute, or that SofM would be audacious enough to hold all four JDG members at the 18th minute before SN won a small skirmish, creating the snowball effect that led to the end of the match.
Speaking of damage dealt in fights, SofM seems to have shifted away from his signature Lee Sin build from earlier and instead opted for items that deal damage and provide sustain such as: Bloodthirster, Black Cleaver, Guardian Angel,…
When discussing the build that defines SofM’s Lee Sin, we have to mention the journey of a young Vietnamese player. The player has been noted by Riot as one of the most influential figures in the League of Legends scene. Indeed, SofM’s innovations have significantly contributed to the strategic depth of the LPL and the global League of Legends community. Everything changed when the Vietnamese jungle god brought a very different jungle path compared to the rest of the LPL.
Right from his first matches in the colors of Snake Esports, SofM brought a “fresh breeze” to the LPL with his Lee Sin Tiamat Axe style. The goal was crystal clear: to farm the jungle and gank as much as possible, SofM always looked for ways to break the prevailing control playstyle of that time.
Not stopping there, Lê Quang Duy became widely recognized in the global gaming community for transforming Lee Sin from a damage dealer into a tanky champion who supports teammates. By building tank items, aiming to survive as long as possible to protect teammates and create chaos for the enemy team.
However, the match that made Lee Sin famous in SofM’s hands and also a point of pride for Vietnamese fans was during the match between Suning and G2 Esports at the Group Stage of the 2020 World Championship. Although SN lost to the star-studded G2 Esports and had to face the world’s top jungler at that time, (the expatriate) Jankos, the marks left by this player from Hanoi were profoundly impactful. Many international fans expressed their admiration and positive comments after witnessing the legacy of SofM’s Lee Sin, which still resonates greatly in the eyes of viewers.
Some interesting comments from the audience:
Indeed, although G2 won, Jankos was significantly behind early in the game because of SofM. If it weren’t for his teammates pulling him out of that rough phase and carrying hard, G2 would have surely lost.
One more point is that SofM’s Lee Sin is always a joy to watch; this guy plays without fear.
SofM really plays Lee Sin like a god, oh my God!
“Cause of death: Heart attack from the G2 vs SN match.”
Even G2’s jungler in that match sighed in relief after their victory: “Oh, that was a bit of a storm that just passed. I will be stronger starting tomorrow. So glad the team is strong enough to carry me.”
The top laner of G2 was no exception: “That was crazy… Now I realize I played without in-game sounds for 4 minutes. We definitely stabilized our mindset after that match.”
Speaking of the 2020 World Championship, we cannot forget the semifinal match between SN and TES, two teams from the LPL. Along with two junglers who excel at Lee Sin, SofM and Karsa. Karsa is well-known for his quick and impressive Lee Sin combos, making him one of the best in the world. On the other side is SofM, whose Lee Sin gameplay is both strategic and fast-paced. Previously, there were polls asking fans to choose who played Lee Sin better between Karsa and SofM. Although the victory leaned towards Karsa, everyone knows the outcome of the Bo5 match between SN and TES.
The outstanding performance of Lee Sin in SofM’s hands against JDG is just one of the most impressive displays. The reality proves that it is not a coincidence that Duy Cau Giay has gained widespread recognition from his peers. Many even believe that the only thing holding SofM back from being crowned the number one jungler in history is just any championship title.