LOL-MSI: Dhokla's Gnar solo kills BB's Yasuo, LYON in great form eliminates G2 3-0

On July 10th Beijing time, the 2026 MSI Mid-Season Invitational knockout stage entered the third round of the lower bracket, featuring the eagerly awaited "EU vs NA" clash: LEC's top seed G2 versus LCS's top seed LYON! The "American Lions" LYON had prepared thoroughly for today's match, with jungler Inspired performing exceptionally well, dominating G2's jungler SkewMond in the jungle during the first two games. LYON's coordinated rotations and team play proved superior in the mid-game, ultimately securing a solid 3-0 victory to eliminate G2. They will face LCK's first seed HLE in the lower bracket final on July 11th.

Game 1

G2: Anivia, Jarvan IV, Orianna, Ashe, Seraphine

LYON: Renekton, Xin Zhao, Sylas, Ezreal, Karma

At the start, G2 had lane priority in both top and mid. Jarvan IV ganked mid at level 4, and both he and Sylas swapped flashes. At 8 minutes, Jarvan solo started the Voidgrubs, but his position was spotted by LYON. However, G2's bottom lane ignored the "semi-zone" principle; despite knowing Xin Zhao had just taken the dragon and was near the bottom lane, Hans Sama's Ashe did not retreat and continued clearing minions under the tier-1 tower. LYON's jungler and bot lane dove the tower in a 3v1, securing first blood. Dhokla's Renekton assumed Jarvan had finished the grubs and returned to his jungle, so he aggressively pushed the wave without vision in the river. He was then ganked by Jarvan, allowing Anivia to claim the kill.

Relying on their top and mid lane advantages, G2's Anivia solo took down LYON's top tier-1 tower for first blood tower. In exchange, LYON secured the second dragon and also destroyed G2's bottom tier-1 tower. At 15 minutes, G2 engaged on the Renekton top lane, but he flashed away. Subsequently, all mid and bot laners rotated to the fight. After Ashe missed her arrow, Labrov's Seraphine made a flash misplay, accidentally flashing into the middle of three LYON champions and instantly dying. LYON chased down the fight and got a 1-for-2 trade, with Saint's Sylas securing a double kill, allowing LYON to take the Rift Herald. Before Baron spawned, both teams mirrored tower pushes: G2 took the bottom tier-1 tower, while LYON took the top tier-1 tower. Meanwhile, LYON had the Hextech Dragon Soul "on listen", and both teams were even in gold, making the situation very tense.

In the mid-game, SkewMond's Jarvan IV managed to smite-steal the dragon, disrupting LYON's dragon soul tempo. G2's teamfight kiting was superior, as they achieved a 1-for-2 trade to temporarily stabilize. Then, LYON caught a wandering Anivia near the Baron pit, killed her, and started Baron. However, their Baron clear speed was too slow, so they had to disengage. Both teams traded AD carries in a skirmish and then returned to farming.

At 28 minutes, LYON positioned first in the dragon pit and started the dragon. Their top and jungler chunked the Jarvan who wanted to steal, forcing him to E-Q over the wall to leave the pit. Xin Zhao then safely secured the Hextech Dragon Soul. Sylas copied Seraphine's ultimate from the flank, charming Ashe. Seraphine tried to block Sylas' follow-up skills for Ashe but was instantly melted. The dragon soul's slow effect, combined with Renekton's ultimate initiation, demolished G2's formation. LYON crushed the fight with a 0-for-4 trade and then took Baron without any pressure. Ultimately, when G2 grouped near the Elder Dragon pit, Saint's Sylas executed a devastating flank, and LYON pincered them from front and back, achieving a 0-for-3 teamfight. They pushed the middle lane and ended the game in one wave, taking the first game 1-0.

Game 2

LYON: Gnar, Lee Sin, Viktor, Varus, Leona

G2: Yasuo, Pantheon, Cassiopeia, Ziggs, Nautilus

At the start, Inspired's Lee Sin invaded G2's top side jungle at level 2, but his path was spotted by G2's wards. Nevertheless, LYON's bot lane chose to push aggressively. SkewMond's Pantheon finished his bot side jungle and then ganked bot lane, securing first blood on Varus. As Pantheon tried to recall, Leona interrupted him. Lee Sin flashed in to follow up with damage, and Nautilus and Leona traded kills. G2 came out with a 1-for-2 trade, which was not a loss.

LYON's defensive counter-attack awareness in the early game was near perfect: when Pantheon ganked top, he and Yasuo waited at Gnar's teleport landing spot. Unexpectedly, Mega Gnar landed and stunned both G2 champions with his W. Lee Sin was right behind Gnar and arrived in time. LYON secured a 1-for-2 trade, disrupting Pantheon's gank rhythm. Then Dhokla's Gnar completed a solo kill on BrokenBlade's Yasuo. Pantheon then shifted focus to mid lane, but LYON's rotations were faster. In two subsequent fights, LYON fought with numerical advantages without losing anyone, while G2 suffered casualties and lost momentum. Pantheon could only take the first dragon to cut losses, while in exchange, Lee Sin killed all three Voidgrubs.

LYON smoothly snowballed their advantage through frequent teamfights. Viktor swapped to top lane and solo took the first blood tower. Although G2 held two dragons, they were still 4k gold behind and had severe vision deficits in the top side, forcing them to concede the Rift Herald. At 16 minutes, LYON's bot lane initiated with Leona's ultimate to catch Pantheon. Lee Sin used W to dash to Leona, got close to Pantheon and landed Q. After Pantheon flashed over the wall, Lee Sin followed with Q2, then flashed to adjust his angle and executed a "Dragon's Rage" kick that killed Pantheon and also knocked up Nautilus. Leona tanked the tower to help Lee Sin secure a double kill. G2's bottom tier-1 tower fell, and LYON took the dragon, interrupting G2's dragon soul "on listen" pace.

Before Baron spawned, LYON used the Rift Herald to destroy G2's mid tier-1 tower. Lee Sin rode the Herald to hit the tier-2 tower, but Pantheon smited the Herald. Ziggs claimed Lee Sin's shutdown gold. However, Mega Gnar's ultimate killed Nautilus in the counter, interrupting G2's chase. G2 was still 5k gold behind. In the mid-game, G2 positioned first in the dragon pit, capitalizing on LYON's Lee Sin and Varus being elsewhere. They aggressively chunked Gnar, forcing his flash, and then LYON conceded the dragon. G2 got the Mountain Dragon Soul "on listen" as they wished.

At 28 minutes, Pantheon ulted to bot lane, and together with Yasuo's damage, they killed Gnar. The two immediately went to the top river to regroup with their team and attempted to rush Baron. Despite being one man down, LYON's four players stayed calm and kited. Their bot duo landed their ultimates on Nautilus, and Lee Sin's Q over the wall helped burst him down. G2's composition lacked a tank frontline, and soon they were all chunked by Baron. Meanwhile, Gnar respawned, teleported to flank, and turned the fight around. LYON counter-attacked fiercely, chasing down G2 and securing a triple kill for Viktor. LYON pulled off a sudden 0-for-5 ace, pushing top lane to end the game in one wave. With a hot streak, they took the second game to secure match point, pushing the "Korean slayer" G2 to the brink.

Game 3

G2: Jayce, Wukong, Syndra, Yun'ana, Lulu

LYON: Olaf, Trundle, Ryze, Caitlyn, Bard

With three match points in hand, LYON started aggressively: Saint's Ryze used Ghost in mid lane and chased Caps' Syndra into G2's bot side jungle, chunking her to half HP. Then Inspired's Trundle, at level 2, changed his path to gank bot. G2's bot duo had pushed too deep and couldn't retreat in time, allowing Bard to secure first blood on Lulu.

In the early game, although G2 had lane priority in all three lanes, Wukong's top gank failed to kill Olaf. On the other hand, Trundle struck again bot lane, catching Yun'ana who was burst down by LYON's three-man focus. G2's bot lane also burned both flashes, suffering a heavy loss. Wukong reached level 6 and tried to help bot to mitigate damage, but Ryze arrived in time at bot lane. Before dying, Wukong managed to finish off Trundle. Dhokla's Olaf roamed cleverly to mid lane and, with Ryze's assistance, killed Syndra. LYON achieved a 1-for-2 trade in the bot side, gaining huge momentum!

Berserker's Caitlyn enjoyed two plates of G2's bot tier-1 tower. After recalling, she swapped to top lane and, with help from teammates, killed Jayce who had pushed too deep. G2's three lanes collapsed, and their momentum completely stalled. Wukong could only take the Voidgrubs to minimize losses, while LYON secured the first dragon. At 12 minutes, G2 grouped to invade LYON's bot side jungle but were spotted. LYON counter-attacked with a 0-for-2 kill on G2's jungle and support, then pushed down the bot tier-1 tower for first blood tower. G2 stopped grouping and chose to avoid fights and farm, while LYON also slowed their pace to give Caitlyn more time to scale. Before Baron spawned, both teams traded skills bot lane. G2 took down LYON's bot tier-1 tower and secured the second dragon, while LYON killed the Rift Herald in exchange.

In the mid-game, LYON firmly held the pace. G2 fought hard in the dragon pit and achieved a 1-for-1 trade, but Wukong's kill on Bard was not worth it. Then LYON secured a 1-for-2 trade in G2's top side jungle, snowballing a 3k gold lead. At 27 minutes, Lulu was forced to flash after being trapped by Trundle's pillar while warding the Baron pit. Bard's long-range ultimate caught Lulu, and LYON focused her down. They then immediately started Baron. G2's players watched from outside the pit, but LYON's Baron control was patient, never giving Wukong a chance to smite-steal. Caitlyn, with three completed items, solo killed Syndra from the flank. LYON dismantled G2 with a 0-for-5 ace and took Baron without any pressure. Falling into a huge deficit, G2 had to retreat to their base for a last stand. LYON killed Lulu, destroyed the mid inhibitor and both nexus turrets, then safely secured the Infernal Dragon Soul. The gold difference reached 7k.

In the late game, the resilient G2 first killed a solo Bard in their own bot side jungle, then killed an isolated Ryze while LYON was pushing the mid inhibitor. They took a desperate gamble and rushed Baron, escaping safely. Finally, as both teams were skirmishing in mid lane, Berserker's Caitlyn seized the opportunity to chunk Syndra to half HP with a single auto. LYON then overwhelmed G2 with a 0-for-5 ace and ended the game in one push, eliminating G2 3-0. They will face LCK's first seed HLE in the lower bracket final on July 11th.