Suning Gaming vs Team Liquid

A clash between the former LCS champions Team Liquid and the third seed from the LPL Suning simply has to deliver entertainment-wise. Still, the odds are heavily stacked in Suning’s favor, and there’s a good reason why. Their opening game against G2 Esports was, without a shadow of a doubt, the most exciting clash of the tournament so far; they not only traded heavy blows with the best team in LEC history but they nearly got the win, too!

They’re exceptional both individually but also as a five-man unit and they’re more than adept at the current meta: non-stop skirmishing, flexible drafts, impressive champion oceans, and a metric ton of bravado. That’s Suning in a nutshell, and they’ve done so well in their very first game that it’s impossible not to tune in whenever they step foot on stage going forward.

No one was quite sure how well they’d fare against the perennial European titans, but if their first game was any indication, they’re not only favored to reach the Knockout stage but they might, potentially, upset the status quo, at least ever so slightly.

Opposite them, however, we have Team Liquid. People didn’t expect all that much from TL coming into Worlds but it still feels like they’re somewhat outmatched. They’re no longer the LCS champions, nor are they as dangerous and layered as the TL of the past. Their loss to Machi Esports is, simply put, a cause for concern. They weren’t just beaten as a team, but also on an individual level as well. Machi’s Gemini and Mission made quick work of Broxah and Jensen, and it wasn’t a sight any of us expected to see. The fact that TL got their hands on comfort picks makes this whole thing all the more worrying.

If they can’t defeat the PCS champions who’ve entered the Group Stage without any semblance of hype or momentum, then what chance do they stand against the likes of Suning and G2 Esports? If Team Liquid intends on getting out of groups, they’ll have to step up immensely (and in record time, too). The margin for error is non-existent, and unfortunately for the LCS faithfuls, Suning is favored across the board.

It might not be as one-sided as some people expect, but Suning should be able to get the win without much trouble.