The second day of the Swiss stage at the League of Legends World Championship is set to feature five intense intra-regional matchups. This new format, where teams with equal records face off, has created a lot of excitement among fans. The schedule for day two has been released, and it seems that some regions have come out on top while others face a challenging road ahead.
EMEA Region Dominates, Korea Struggles
Fans on the official League subreddit have unanimously agreed that the EMEA region has the upper hand in the second day’s draw. Teams from the LEC, such as BDS and Fnatic, despite losing their opening matches, have favorable matchups against MAD Lions and GAM Esports, respectively. G2, who won their first-day game, will face China’s Weibo Gaming, another promising draw.
On the other hand, Korea’s outlook is not as positive. The draw has resulted in two intra-regional matches that pit top Korean teams against each other. Gen.G and T1 will clash on the 1-0 side of the draw, while KT Rolster and Dplus KIA will face off on the 0-1 side. This unfavorable draw puts these teams in a difficult position, with one of them potentially facing elimination with a record of 0-2.
Intra-Regional Matchups: Familiar Foes Battle it Out
One surprising outcome of the Swiss draw is the occurrence of five intra-regional matchups. This means that teams who are already familiar with each other from the regular season will now face off on the Worlds stage. These matchups promise intense battles and add an extra layer of excitement to the tournament.
Here are the five same-region matchups scheduled for day two:
1. NRG vs. Team Liquid (LCS)
2. MAD Lions vs. BDS (LEC)
3. Gen.G vs. T1 (LCK)
4. JD Gaming vs. Bilibili Gaming (LPL)
5. KT Rolster vs. Dplus KIA (LCK)
The most intriguing of these matchups is KT Rolster vs. Dplus KIA. Both teams were considered strong contenders for the knockout stage, but after this match, one of them will be on the brink of elimination with a 0-2 record. Losing three matches in the Swiss stage means being out of the tournament entirely. KT has had the upper hand over Dplus in the regular season, but the losing team will need an extraordinary comeback to keep their hopes alive.
JD Gaming vs. Bilibili Gaming also holds significance as it was the final of the 2023 Mid-Season Invitational. These two teams have faced each other seven times this season, with JDG winning all seven matches. With such familiarity, JDG has the advantage in this best-of-one scenario.
Looking Ahead: More Exciting Matches to Come
While the abundance of intra-regional matchups on day two may disappoint some fans, there is a silver lining. As the tournament progresses, the chances of seeing teams from the same region face off in the best-of-three portion of the stage decrease. After the second day’s matches, the tournament moves into a qualifying round where teams transition from best-of-ones to best-of-threes. So, despite the intense battles early on, we can expect a variety of matchups in the later stages of the Swiss stage.
The action resumes tomorrow, October 20th, with an exciting intra-regional matchup between NRG and Team Liquid. Stay tuned for more thrilling clashes as the Swiss stage unfolds.
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Source: DOTESPORTS
