T1 Only Has One Path
If after the first round against Gen.G in the Regular Seasons 2025 group stage, someone said that T1 would be a contender against Hanwha Life Esports for the top 2 battle and subsequently for a spot in MSI 2025, they would likely receive a lot of criticism and sarcasm. But at this moment, that is happening. T1 is showing a strong resurgence as the upper management finalizes the roster. Meanwhile, HLE seems to be “running out of steam” towards the end of the group stage. These two factors have made the battle for the top 2 after Gen.G extremely “heated”.
Recently, on some forums, there have been discussions regarding the possibility that T1 could defeat both HLE and NS with a score of 2-0 in the final week of the group stage. If HLE wins their final match (against BNK FearX) with a score of 2-0, both teams will be tied in terms of win-loss ratios. At that point, the race for the top 2 will become even more intense.
However, for those who may not know, this has happened several times in League of Legends history, and it has only become truly rare in recent years. For instance, in the 2020 Spring LCK, T1, Gen.G, and DRX all had the same record of 14-4 at the end of the group stage. However, DRX finished third due to a poorer win-loss ratio.
Nevertheless, T1 only has one path left, which is to win both remaining matches with a score of 2-0. The early-season mistakes, along with a string of poor performances during the unstable phase, have resulted in more dire consequences than imagined. But T1 must ensure the best results for themselves before hoping for other teams to stumble.
The T1 – HLE Match Will Determine Everything
In this context, the T1 – HLE match will determine the positions of both teams. Because if T1 loses even one game in the match, even if they win overall, the outcome will already be settled. Meanwhile, if HLE loses, they must lose 0-2. In fact, even if they lose to T1, HLE still holds the power to decide their fate as their final opponent is FOX, who is struggling after a series of “read” matches.
Therefore, the battle for second place is quite tense, and the decision-making power lies even in the hands of weaker teams like NS or FOX. However, T1’s capabilities are lower than HLE as they cannot afford to lose any more matches.