The League of Legends Asia Invitational has reached the knockout stage. On the previous match day, DK dominated the LCK internal matches by sweeping BFX and NS, securing two consecutive wins to reach the finals and guaranteeing at least a runner-up spot. If DK wins the final BO5, Xu will claim the Asia Invitational championship. Meanwhile, WBG, highly anticipated by LPL fans, stumbled in their first match losing to the lowest-ranked team.

When WBG faced NS, the two teams battled over three games, but WBG ultimately lost and dropped to the losers' bracket. If WBG loses to BFX next, their run will end at the semifinals, allowing LCK to claim the top three spots and the championship. During the group stage, WBG had previously swept DK, but their form has declined sharply, getting crushed by NS right as the knockout stage began. It’s worth noting that NS was near the bottom of the LCK’s third split standings.

Many viewers might not know NS’s level within the LCK, so here’s a brief explanation: In the third split regular season, NS was placed in the “legend” group and faced teams like HLE and T1, but lost all 8 matches. Later, in the playoffs qualifiers, they were decisively defeated 3-0 by DK without winning a single game. Although they beat BRO afterward, they lost to BFX and ultimately missed the LCK playoffs.

Excluding NDF, DRX, and BRO, NS ranks only seventh in the LCK, fourth from the bottom. Their strength is clear. WBG, ranked sixth in the LPL, losing to LCK’s seventh place is somewhat embarrassing. If there were a skill gap, a loss would be understandable, but WBG’s defeat to NS mainly stemmed from players not taking the match seriously.

Judging by laning, team fights, and decision-making, NS genuinely played with full effort. Even though it was an online event, their competitive attitude was clear. In contrast, WBG appeared casual, as if the outcome didn’t matter and they were just playing for fun. Compared to JDG and NIP, WBG’s results are decent, but professional matches shouldn’t be compared to weaker teams.

WBG did manage to beat DK in the group stage, which was DK’s only loss in this invitational. Praising their earlier performance is fair, but in terms of strength, WBG and DK should have been the final contenders for the championship. Yet, WBG crashed out in their first knockout match, which feels inappropriate since this invitational is organized by our region, and it would be awkward if only LCK teams remain at the end.

Therefore, WBG really needs to correct their attitude for the next match. BFX’s strength is comparable to DK’s. Their bottom lane player, Diable, is one of the top AD carries in this invitational. If Light and Sishao continue to play as casually as they did against NS, their bot lane could easily be exploited. If we don’t understand how to play the spider + Caitlyn combo properly, it’s better not to pick it at all.

If WBG plays seriously, their chances of losing are quite low. They managed to dominate DK, so facing BFX shouldn’t be too stressful. The key is to respect the match and give it their all. Even if they lose, it would be understandable due to a skill gap. What’s worrying is playing carelessly without respecting the opponent. Now WBG is the only LPL team left in the knockout stage, and we hope they can reach the finals.

In conclusion:

If WBG wants to win the invitational, they must first defeat BFX, then face NS, and finally challenge DK. The pressure is high, but WBG has the potential to take the title. Their overall strength is solid, and playing their favored compositions should prevent major issues. If they stumble again, then the championship will be decided by the LCK internal matches.

So, what do you think? Can WBG make a comeback?

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