T1’s Victory Comes with Concerns
Entering the match against Dplus KIA, this could be seen as one of the last two matches for T1 to secure a spot in the 2024 World Championship. The other match, if they can overcome ShowMaker’s team, will be against Hanwha Life Esports. However, first, T1 had to solve the puzzle named DK – a team also eager to maintain their chances of qualifying for the 2024 World Championship. Ultimately, after 4 tense games, T1 defeated DK with a score of 3-1. However, it’s worth noting that T1’s victory left many “ripples” behind, especially in the opening game and the deciding fourth game.
However, it cannot be denied that T1’s victory still left many concerns. First, there was a noticeable stagnation and confusion when T1 was completely countered by their opponents. With DK having Ziggs and creating opportunities with Void Staff, T1 could not execute their gameplay smoothly. Not to mention, DK played exceptionally well in pick-offs and skirmishes, making T1’s biggest bright spot perhaps a few early-game trades. The rest saw T1 having to “chase after” DK only to ultimately fail due to a backdoor play by Aiming. Fortunately for T1, they later awakened and secured the victory.
T1 Fans Also Feel Distressed
It can be said that T1 achieved a deserved victory after three consecutive games demonstrating superiority over DK. However, after the first game, many fans were “worried sick” as their team played as if they were lost. Some even recalled comments made during the T1 – HLE match, stating: “The team played as if they had only practiced together twice.” Meanwhile, others noted that T1 seemed very fatigued and the players did not display the essence of a team worthy of playoffs.
Nevertheless, Faker and his teammates accomplished their goal, and the score is enough to boost the audience’s spirits in preparation for the upcoming match against HLE, which is expected to be even more challenging. But indeed, if the gameplay from the first game against DK resurfaces, T1 will find it hard to overcome HLE, especially when “Gen.G in orange” is much stronger than DK.