The LOL Saudi Esports World Cup is about to wrap up with only two matches remaining. On the last competition day, GEN faced off against G2 in the upper bracket, fighting through three games, and GEN triumphed over G2 to secure a spot in the finals. This result was anticipated, but it was unexpected how much pressure GEN experienced against G2, leading to a loss in one game. Meanwhile, in the lower bracket, AL quickly finished their match against T1 with a 2-0 victory.

T1 had no chance against AL, who dominated the match. Old Li's performance has noticeably declined compared to MSI; it wasn't just in the mid-lane. Besides Xiao Lü Bu, the other players also seemed a bit sluggish, possibly due to jet lag. T1 looked off, and after this defeat, they still have to face G2 for third place. Given their current form, a loss seems highly likely.

During the interview after losing, Old Li took the blame and apologized: "I feel we didn't perform at our best, and I'm sorry to disappoint the fans." While this statement was standard, some viewers saw it as Old Li being stubborn. To be honest, it's a bit excessive to criticize him like this. Should Old Li really say, "My teammates are too weak; I can't carry them"?

After AL defeated T1, the Oil Cup has seen a double victory over the LCK region. If they can also beat GEN, it would mean a clean sweep of LCK, significantly boosting their credibility. Currently, GEN's form is somewhat lacking compared to MSI. Among all participating teams, only AL and G2 are improving with each match. With a small gap in hard power, AL genuinely has a chance to defeat GEN and claim the Oil Cup championship.

It seems the name AG does carry some weight. Tarzan's "Han Xin" maneuvering in and out was truly remarkable. After achieving two consecutive victories, the most upset fans are undoubtedly those of BLG. Previously, AL's manager Ai Xiao sparked a controversy by saying, "For international matches, watch AL," which led to a backlash, with many BLG fans accusing AL of stealing BLG's slogan. Throughout MSI, they relentlessly criticized Ai Xiao and AL's players.

From the results, AL first took down HLE and then decisively beat T1, even having a chance to upset GEN for the championship. It's indeed valid to say "watch AL for international matches." BLG lost to G2, highlighting the disparity in strength between the two teams. However, after Shadow's addition, BLG's return to the league might trigger a change in junglers, possibly benefiting from a short-term buff. For now, let's hope AL can win against GEN in the next match.

The last two matches are quite suspenseful. G2's current form is significantly better than during MSI, while T1 has been somewhat underwhelming lately. There's a real possibility that Old Mao could defeat Faker and secure third place. However, since these two teams are playing a Bo1 format, the chances of an upset are high, making the outcome difficult to predict. Personally, I still favor T1, as they were MSI runners-up, and if they adjust their form, they can compete with anyone.

The match between AL and GEN will be a BO5 format, which relies more on champion pools and understanding of the meta compared to BO3. I believe AL has a chance to defeat GEN as long as they avoid picking champions like Rumble and Twisted Fate, which are pitfalls in this version. In their last match against T1, they let Lao Xiang use Twisted Fate in the decisive game, which proved ineffective. These two champions are no longer even picked by GEN, so Tabe needs to be cautious to avoid repeating the same mistake and losing the championship.

Conclusion:

If AL manages to win the championship, the trophy's base will feature the logos of three LCK teams: HLE, T1, and GEN. This would also allow the LPL region to shed its previous title. This battle might be quite challenging, but we should remain hopeful, as currently, AL is the only team that can truly compete with LCK.

So, what do you think? How do AL and GEN match up?

Feel free to leave your comments and discuss!