In their first playoff match of the LPL Spring 2022, Weibo Gaming faced a very tough opponent, EDward Gaming. Not only are they the reigning champions of LPL Summer 2021 and the 2021 World Championship, but after a rough start to the season, EDG made a comeback in the final rounds, showing they were still capable of defending their throne. Meanwhile, WBG was dealing with multiple issues, both in terms of their performance and internal matters.
However, the match result was completely beyond many people’s expectations. SofM and his teammates not only achieved a convincing victory against the reigning champions but also showcased exceptional performance in each game. Notably, the three players who had been heavily criticized recently, the top lane duo of TheShy – SofM and Angel, were the “main characters” in WBG’s victory. “Shy ca” even received MVP for his brilliant performance against his “favorite opponent” EDG.
Witnessing the astonishing performance of SofM and his team, fans from Vietnam to the LPL region couldn’t help but… write apology letters. Of course, these were just playful reactions, but it cannot be denied that the performances in the final group stage matches had drawn a lot of criticism from the LoL community towards the WBG players. Many spectators even suggested that WBG should consider finding a replacement for the “Vietnamese Jungle God” SofM.
Additionally, many opinions also pointed out that EDG played very poorly themselves. If we were to find the best performer from EDG in the recent match, it would only be Scout and somewhat Viper. If it weren’t for Scout’s shining performance in game 3, the match might have ended in just 3 games. Particularly, Flandre’s position was exploited so much that every time the camera moved to him, it recorded moments of SofM’s teammate being sent “to the fountain”.
Overall, WBG has shown that they deserve to be a championship contender by making it to the playoffs. SofM and his teammates’ next opponent is JD Gaming. If they can maintain the same form as in the match against EDG, we can fully trust in another victory for SofM and his team.