RNG and SSG join the final eight

It’s 2014 again as Samsung Galaxy crushes its opposition en route to a Quarterfinals berth -- alongside a Royal Never Give Up squad riding on the ups and downs of Uzi.

Samsung Galaxy displayed one of the most dominant set of  performances of the Worlds 2016 Group Stages yet -- after a drawn out match against TSM, they crashed into Royal Never Give Up and Splyce like a meteor with two 23 minute victories.

It looked liked RNG had tilted off the Worlds stage entirely after being upset by Splyce -- and then thumped by SSG. But they controlled their destinies thanks to beating TSM last week -- giving them the head-to-head tiebreaker if they won again. For the third straight day, the group wasn’t decided until the last game. Fans on both sides knew immediately that the winner of RNG vs. TSM would be the deciding matchup -- everything else seemed like an extended, tense appetizer.

For TSM -- it was everything. Coming off a dominant split that saw them reclaim the NA LCS crown, they were pegged as one of the top teams in the world. For RNG, it was Uzi’s return to the Worlds stage. They were a team that boasted immense individual talent but struggled with team cohesion. Then, backed into a corner, they showed no mercy for the American faithful. There would be no Hollywood ending. RNG ended TSM’s season with muscle -- the bulk of which was provided by Uzi.

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That SSG was the 3rd seed from the LCK region should tell you everything you need to know about whether “the gap” is closing or not. Two teams from Korea have now finished atop their groups as we head to the Quarterfinals with reigning champion SK Telecom T1 to go. Here’s what we otherwise learned from Group D:

• Samsung Galaxy is going to draw target bans in the Quarterfinals -- Crown played a staggering number of Viktor games during the LCK Summer Split, and it was cautioned as a must-ban against him. It became immediately apparent as to why when he opened the day by solo-killing Bjergsen’s Zilean and then batted him around for the rest of the match. Their two wins over RNG and SPY were the fastest wins of the tournament -- it seems SSG have shifted into hyper-drive as they move closer to the Knockout Stage.


• Royal Never Give Up would queue up for ARAM if that were an option -- this is a team that loves team fighting the way Twitch chat loves memes. It might not always make sense, but it’s fun. Today, they showed the world what they’re capable of: complete head scratchers against SPY and SSG, followed by pure brute force over TSM. It seems if Uzi can get rolling, then the team can rally behind him. It’s like watching a boxer who only knows how to throw haymakers. When it lands, it’s devastating and so fun to watch. But when it misses, the momentum can throw them entirely out of the ring.


• 0-10 was heartbreaking, but by the 7th or 8th loss, the NA faithful had become accustomed to the pain. There wasn’t ever doubt as to where the nail would eventually sit. For TSM this year to be knocked out on the final match of their year, though? This is something else. There were blind invades and bot lane gaffes. Even Bjergsen got solo killed. A lot of their struggles resulted from mechanical misplays -- perhaps a product of the pressure. This was the most hyped North American team ever. They dreamed of not just Chicago, but New York and yes, even Los Angeles. But they go home now. There are no excuses. No results. They’ll be back, though. They always come back.


• In the broad context of the year, Splyce’s tournament appearance was incredible when compared to being nearly relegated after the EU Spring Split. This, of course, might not be much consolation -- they frequently looked outmatched and outpaced on the Worlds stage. They’ll need to identify their strongest path to victory -- be it through Trashy or Wunder or someone else -- and sharpen that element. But consistency comes with experience, and SPY now has the off-season to reflect and grow.

Now only two spots remain as the Group Stage looks to conclude tomorrow. Four Chinese and Korean teams have already advanced with two more to go in SKT and I May. The Worlds Stage may figuratively shrink in addition to cutting its field in half. The hosts still have one team to place their hopes on though -- will Cloud9 temper the heartbreak, or will it find new ways to break? Find out tomorrow at 1 PM PT.