Team SoloMid vs LGD Gaming

Finally, to close things out, we have quite a peculiar match-up: LGD Gaming vs. Team SoloMid. Everyone's dying to find out how it'll resolve, although for entirely different reasons. First, you have a bevy of passionate North American fans who want to see their region succeed (for the first time in a while). Their optimistic yearning is yet to be realized, however, with TSM sitting winless in Group C. Out of all four teams, they've shown the least. Heck, maybe that's even an understatement. They've been bad, is all, and they've shown very little to warrant anyone's benefit of the doubt.

And sure, they might win a game or two, but they're outmatched across the board and are almost destined to finish in third or -- more realistically -- fourth place. That's nothing new for the boys in black and white, but it's still a depressing result, especially after their dominant (and quite tiring) run in the LCS Summer Split playoffs. Opposite them, however, is the one team people thought TSM could win against: LGD Gaming. Now, the fourth seed from the LPL was definitely favored coming into the tournament, but after their abysmal performances in the Play-In stage, many fans and analysts wondered whether they have what it takes to compete at the highest of levels.

Fortunately for the LPL faithfuls (and many Peanut fans scattered across the globe), LGD stepped up big time. Not only did they nearly take down Gen.G in their first game of the Group Stage, but they've also upset Fnatic in quite emphatic fashion. They're playing some exceptional League of Legends, and while they're not as dominant or clean as most of us expected, they're still more than dangerous enough to get the win over TSM. The thing is, we're not exactly sure how good they really are, and whether they'll be able to maintain a respectable level of play if the LCS champions show up with their A game. That's why this match-up is so darn exciting. TSM is the underdog, of that we're all aware, but they haven't been performing up to their level -- that's also a fact. If they make a couple of adjustments and double down on their strengths (and put Doublelift on a marksman with actual agency instead of Senna), they might be able to do some damage.

Both teams are strong and talented, although only one of them has been able to pull things together and perform when it mattered, and that's LGD. They've shown better synergy and a more nuanced understanding of the meta. That doesn't mean TSM won't be able to trade blows should they draft well and execute, but given just how bad they looked recently, it's impossible to give them any benefit of the doubt.

Still, they have a chance, and LGD would be wise not to underestimate them. We're siding with the fourth seed from China on this one, but it's probably going to be a lot closer than most people expect. If LGD takes the win, they'll be one step closer to reaching the Knockout Stage over Fnatic, so you can expected them to fight for every inch of the Summoner's Rift.