T1 Defeats JD Gaming to Advance to Worlds 2022 Finals
Every year, the collective esports world turns its attention to the League of Legends World Championships. For five weeks, the top 24 teams in the world gather together to find out, once and for all, who reigns supreme. This year, North America played host to Worlds and now we’re down to the last four teams. (Learn more about Worlds here.)
The semifinals of the League of Legends World Championships are underway at the State Farm Arena in Atlanta, Georgia. At the start of the day, the four best teams in the world were all that remained and now there are only three. Today’s match saw one of the most storied franchises in League of Legends history, South Korea’s T1, square off with the Chinese Summer Champions: JD Gaming.
Game 1: JDG Not intimidated
JDG: 1 T1: 0
Every team competing at Worlds expects to win no matter who they play. However, anyone who says there isn't extra pressure facing off with the most storied team in League of Legends history is a liar. JDG represent the last hope for China against three of South Korea's best teams, and they are not intimidated.
ATLANTA, GEORGIA - OCTOBER 29: Coaches Wu "Vus5o" Shuo (L) and Chen "Xiasu" Long of JD Gaming arrive at the League of Legends World Championship Semifinals on October 29, 2022 in Atlanta, GA.
Photo by Fernando Decillis/Riot Games
T1 put Faker, widely considered the best player of all time, on Galio to initiate fights. JDG welcomed the challenge, frequently allowing Faker to start the fight before turning on them, outplaying them, and coming out on top time after time. They maintained objective control throughout the game, taking four drakes to T1's one.
JDG also thoroughly outplayed T1 while they were on a Baron power play, keeping up the pressure and continuing to take objectives. With heavy pressure and great team fighting, JDG takes game one and puts T1 on the back foot.
Game 2: T1 Keeps Cool - Powers Back
JDG: 1 T1: 1
When you make it this far at Worlds, every series is a marathon, not a sprint. The quickest way to be eliminated is to let yourself be rattled. T1 knows a thing or two about staying calm under pressure, and they showed it in game two.
After a rough first game, T1 retreated to a couple of comfort picks that really let them take control of the game. Zeus was a monster on Yone, and Faker on Ryze is the sort of thing that keeps enemy mid laners awake at night.
ATLANTA, GEORGIA - OCTOBER 27: T1 poses at the League of Legends World Championship Semifinals Features Day on October 27, 2022, in Atlanta, GA.
Fernando Decillis/Riot Games
Unlike game one, T1 was the better squad in team fights, consistently utilizing strong lane pressure to force JDG into bad engagements. To their credit, JDG once again maintained solid early drake control, but they fell too far behind to do it. And if there's anything that a Korean team is known for, it's playing with a lead.
Game 3: The Gloves Come Off
JDG: 1 T1: 2
It doesn't matter who you were rooting for, this game was an incredible watch. Too often at Worlds, teams play everything safe and try not to make mistakes. T1 and JDG apparently did not get the memo.
Game 3 was an absolute bloodbath, with both teams staying aggressive and going for the other's throat. Skirmishes broke out early, often, and all over the map as each team tried to get a lead. Faker once again showed why he is perhaps the greatest of all time, as his Ryze was an absolute menace. Will they force out a Ryze ban in game 4?
ATLANTA, GEORGIA - OCTOBER 29: Lee "Faker" Sang-hyeok of T1 prepares to compete at the League of Legends World Championship Semifinals on October 29, 2022, in Atlanta, GA.
Colin Young-Wolff/Riot Games
If there's anything JDG can take solace in, 369 has looked like the best top laner in the world and he outplayed Zeus. If they can force the next game to be won or lost in top lane, they'll have a good chance to force a game 5. Easier said than done when you're playing T1.
Game 4: Just Like That, China Eliminated
JDG: 1 T1: 3 (Winner)
When it fell apart, it fell apart quickly for JDG. T1 has never been eliminated from Worlds by a team from China's LPL region and that will remain true for another year. Until this game, every match had at least been close, but the wheels came off in this one.
By the 18 minute mark of the game, it was all over but the crying. T1 got off to a strong early start on the backs of their bottom lane, with Keria on Renata Glasc and Gumayusi on Varis. In the mid game, Faker took firm control of things with a few incredible Azir ultimates.
With their win, they will ensure an all South Korean final next week in San Francisco.
What’s at Stake Sunday?
The action resumes at 5 PM Eastern time on Sunday, October 30th, with a showdown between two teams from South Korea. The summer split champions, Gen G LOL, will take on DragonX, who have come out of nowhere to make it all the way to the semifinals. The winner will go on to face T1 at the grand finals on Saturday, November 5, in San Francisco.
On paper, you would expect Gen G to cruise through this match to the finals. However, it is exactly that thinking that has allowed DRX to get as far as they have at Worlds. DRX is playing the best League they’ve played in years, and they’re doing it at exactly the right time. If Gen G is to emerge victorious, they’re going to have to respect the threat DRX presents and play their best games possible. If they make the mistake of looking ahead to next week’s game against T1, they’ll be watching it on Twitch with the rest of us.
