In the recent winners’ finals match against Team Secret, SofM and his teammates, who are also his students at Vikings Esports, secured a convincing victory with a score of 3-1. This win not only helped VKE put one foot in the grand final, but SofM is also on the brink of making his first appearance at an MSI while simultaneously winning a domestic tournament. This achievement is even more significant as SofM could attain it at a tournament in his home country of Vietnam, rather than from the LPL – a scenario that would have seemed extraordinary just a few years ago.
For those who may not know, despite being a former runner-up at Worlds 2020, SofM has never won a domestic title while competing in the LPL. The teams he has played for during his time in the LPL were not truly invested enough to become top teams. The only team considered a powerhouse was Weibo Gaming. However, when SofM was competing, this roster was still composed of mediocre to decent players. They had not reached their peak performance yet and were newly formed, lacking the necessary cohesion to reach the top together. Thus, without any domestic titles, SofM has never participated in MSI.
However, to achieve this, of course, SofM and VKE must perform at their current level in the grand final. They have to be ready to overcome any opponent. However, if the opponent is Team Secret, VKE may find it somewhat “easier” despite the fact that they faced considerable challenges in the recent winners’ finals, as Aress performed remarkably well.
Currently, TS seems to be overly focusing their resources on Aress, while players like Hiro02 and Taki have shown they are not fully accustomed to their new roles. Even with the strategy of funneling resources into Aress, VKE does not seem to be worried. In game 2, despite knowing how dangerous the young Mid Laner would be with Tristana, VKE allowed Aress to have this champion and found a way to counter it. Therefore, if the opponent is TS, VKE will have more opportunities to achieve the championship.
Meanwhile, GAM Esports presents a different challenge. GAM in the finals of a VCS tournament should not be underestimated. Especially since the weakest position for VKE currently is in the Top Lane with Fireblade, while the top lane is GAM’s strongest lane. As long as Kiaya and Levi perform at their best, and the other three positions hold their own, GAM still has every capability to defeat any opponent.
Furthermore, the current GAM players, including Emo, have been trained in a professional environment. While he may not be accustomed to playing in finals, compared to Fireblade, who has only had the opportunity to debut from the playoffs and previously mostly played ranked and participated in “grassroots tournaments,” he still has the edge. Therefore, if GAM fully exploits their advantage in the Top Lane, VKE could face significant difficulties.
Nevertheless, VKE currently has a 50% chance of winning the VCS and helping SofM create a historic milestone in his career. And surely, SofM does not want to miss this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.