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Major League of Legends is back on our screens. Mid-Season Invitational (MSI) 2024 continues with Bracket Stage matches, which is the main stage of the tournament.
As a reminder, the games will now be played in bo5 format, which means even more top-notch League of Legends action from the strongest teams of the first half of the year.
Opening the Bracket Stage of the first international tournament of the season will be Team Liquid and Top Esports. We'll see if the NA-region can put up anything against a serious opponent in the form of the second-seed from the LPL.
Let's go.
Top Esports uniforms
We open our match analysis with an analysis of Top Esports' playing form. They will play the number one side in this match with win odds around 1.1.
In 2022, Top Esports finished top-2 in the domestic league twice and then made two appearances at the 2022 Worlds, where they finished top-10. In the new season, the situation is slightly worse: they finished top-7 in the LPL Spring 2023, managing to qualify for the play-offs but failing to win a single game there.
- Tes Esports roster: 369, Tian, Creme, JackeyLove, Meiko.
The group stage for TOP Esports was pleasant, but far from perfect. TES shared the top 4 of the regular season with LNG, winning 12-4 in the series.
In their first play-offs match, TES faced serious resistance from EDG. TES defeated their counterparts by a score of 3-2.
TES fell to the bottom seed after a clash with Bilibili Gaming. That match ended in a 3-1 victory for the latter. Further bad luck continued in the lower grid of LPL Summer 2023. In the match for life at the tournament TES met LNG Esports, tried to impose a fight, but were powerless, lost with a score of 1-3 and left the tournament on the 4th line.
TES later played at the LPL Regional Finals 2023, where they tried to make it to the Worlds. Again they came up just short, as TES Ledge beat WBG 2-3, thus losing their chances of making it to Worlds 2023.
TES also had NEST 2023, where TES did not make it out of the group, finishing 2-1. The group stage of Demacia Cup 2023 was quite easy for TOP Esports: they didn't lose a single match in Group D and easily made it to the main stage. However, in the play-offs, TES did not have the same ease: TOP Esports lost their first play-offs match to Ledgeiv JDG 2-3, which is not too bad considering the overall condition of the teams during the last season.
TOP Esports had a very good LPL Spring 2024 regular season: the team went 13-3, thus advancing straight to the Double-Elimination stage. In their first round of play-offs, TES played against JD Gaming and easily stomped them 3-0. Next were BLG in the match for the play-offs and there unfolded a real drama with a 3-2 victory in favour of Bilibili Gaming. In the LPL Spring 2024 Grand Finals, TES played against JD Gaming and were outplayed for the second time.
In the LPL Spring 2024 Grand Finals, TOP Esports played against Bilibili Gaming and lost 1-3.
In the first match of the Mid-Season Invitational (MSI) 2024 Top Esports easily defeated LOUD with a score of 2-0. In the Bracket Stage match, TES played against Fnatic, where they won 2-1.
Most Popular Top Esports Champions
KSante (7 matches, 85% wins) and Renekton (5 matches, 80% wins) remain the most popular top line picks. Sion (3 matches, 66% wins) and Darius (2 matches, 100% wins) are next.
In the forest, Sejuani (9 matches, 77% wins), Vi (4 matches, 75% wins), Maokai (4 games, 100% wins) are ubiquitous.
Jayce (6 games, 100% wins) appears in the mid (6 games, 100% wins). Next are Azir (4 games, 75% wins), Akali (3 games, 66% wins), Sylas (3 games, 33% wins).
TES has a standard set of shooters: Lucian (6 games, 66% wins), Varus (4 games, 100% wins), Sivir (3 games, 33% wins). Draven (3 games, 66% wins) and Jhin (3 matches, 66% wins).
Pool players: Nami (6 games, 66% wins), Yuumi (4 games, 75% wins), Nautilus (4 games, 75% wins), Heimerdinger (4 games, 100% wins).
Team Liquid form
We continue our match review with an analysis of Team Liquid's form. In this match, they play the number two side with odds of winning around 15.
While in 2022 the team was consistently in the top of the local league, finishing top 1 at LCS Lock In 2022, and then top 3 and top 4 at LCS Spring 2022 and LCS Summer 2022 respectively, the situation has changed in 2023. At LCS Spring 2023, the team finished Top 8, which is clearly not the level of a top club.
- Team Liquid lineup: Impact, UmTi, APA, Yeon, CoreJJ.
After the unsuccessful LCS Spring, the team changed the player of the central league. The newcomer was APA, who previously played for Team Liquid Challengers.
Liquid managed to qualify for the LCS Summer 2023 play-offs. They won the group with a score of 10-8, thus securing their place in the top play-offs.
However, they didn't last long there. In the first match Liquid lost to NRG, who are surprising this season. In the first match of the lower play-offs Liquid outplayed 100 Thieves 3-1 and here they are.
Liquid's next opponent in the play-offs was Dignitas. The latter were no competition for Liquid and the match ended 3-0 in favour of Liquid.
Next was a match against Golden Guardians. Being an outsider on paper, Liquid managed to overcome themselves and closed the series with a score of 3-2. A very nervous series, where after two taken cards Liquid gave up 2, but in the end they still finished what they started.
In the match for the grand final Team Liquid played with NRG. Quite unexpectedly, Liquid lost, and NRG subsequently became LCS Summer 2023 champions.
TL later attended Worlds 2023, where they failed to make it to the group stages, eventually finishing in the top 16. After failing at Worlds 2023, Liquid returned to their home harbour and finished in the top 1 at LCS Spring 2024.
Team Liquid's most popular champions
Kenen (3 matches, 100% wins), Gnar (3 matches, 33% wins), Jax (2 matches, 100% wins), Rumble (2 matches, 100% wins) are the most frequently sent to the top line.
Foresters pick Vi (4 matches, 50% wins), Wukong (4 matches, 75% wins), Sejuani (2 matches, 50% wins), Lee Sin (2 matches, 50% wins).
In the mid are Ziggs (2 matches, 100% wins), Tristana (1 match, 100% wins), Cassiopeia (1 match, 0 wins), Neeko (1 match, 1 win).
On Shooters Aphelios (6 matches, 66% wins), Ashe (3 matches, 33% wins), Lucia (1 match, 1 win), Samira (1 match, 1 win), Xayah (1 match, 0 wins).
On support champions Rakan (4 games, 50% wins), Milio (3 matches, 66% wins), Rell (3 matches, 33% wins).
History of head-to-head meetings between Liquid and Top Esports
Previously, the teams have not played each other in official matches.
Predicted result of Top Esports vs Liquid at Mid-Season Invitational 2024
Everything is pretty clear cut for me in this match, but the only question is the score. I'm thinking of giving Liquid an advance and putting 3-1 in favour of Top Esports.
Bottom line: a 3-1 win in favour of TOP Esports.
CTBC Flying Oyster
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