G2 Esports can be said to be a much tougher opponent than Team Liquid, and T1 is sometimes even rated lower than the LEC representative. However, regardless of the situation, Faker and his teammates must strive for victory if they wish to keep their hopes alive at this year’s MSI. Gen.G has already reached the finals, and T1 also needs certain performances. In the previous match, G2 pushed T1 to a decisive Game 5, and based on what they have shown, many even believe that G2 will make T1 “suffer.”
In particular, in the matches, the second game was the most heart-stopping moment for many T1 fans. This is because T1 and G2 had a balanced game. If T1 had a Gumayusi performing at an incredibly high level, then Draven in Hans sama’s hands was equally “terrifying.” Thanks to Hans sama’s performance and Draven’s passive, G2 was truly able to challenge T1. But in the end, the match concluded with a perfect read of the situation and a “backdoor” by Faker. At that moment, if T1 couldn’t backdoor, they might not have won, as Hans sama had already reached peak power with a Quadra Kill right at the enemy’s Nexus.
In a high-stakes match, external factors also significantly affect T1’s victory. The mic-check right after Faker’s backdoor showed his leadership qualities, not only in terms of expertise but also in spirit. Specifically, Gumayusi communicated: “I should have paid attention to the skirmish.” And Faker immediately encouraged his teammate: “Everyone played very well, everything is fine.”
It can be said that in a tense BO5 match against a strong opponent like G2, maintaining morale is the most important thing. Therefore, Faker’s encouragement to Gumayusi was timely. In the decisive third game, it was the duo of Faker – Gumayusi along with Zeus in the Top Lane who shone and helped T1 turn the tide and secure victory.
T1 has passed another hurdle with an incredible score. But with what they demonstrated, this is a well-deserved result. There are still things to improve, but clearly, T1 is showing that they are recovering and improving with each match to deserve the title of MSI champion this year.