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The moments that made Worlds: Part 2

Riot··0 votes·45,795 views

There are some moments that you walk away from remembering forever.

Throughout Worlds 2015, we'll be re-visiting some of our favorite moments from past World Championships and discussing what made them so special.

In case you missed it, make sure to check out Part 1.

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Moment #4 - Gambit beats Samsung Ozone to advance to Quarters

Samsung Galaxy Ozone came into the 2013 World Championship as one of the favorites. Fresh off a new sponsorship after leaving former team MVP, Samsung Ozone looked to display their skills on the international stage for the first time. Gambit on the other hand, after a disappointing end to their Season 2 Worlds, looked to prove they were still among the best in the world, despite the loss of their support GoSuPepper to North American team Curse. For Ozone, they'd have to do it without team captain Homme, and instead had to use the inexperienced Looper.

Gambit came out looking sharp in their first encounter and snowballed to a relatively quick win following a cascading series of mistakes from mid laner Dade. This was a major alarm for Ozone, after having early-game failings against other teams such as Vulcun and Fnatic.

Ozone bounced back in their second game, using a great poke and siege composition to slowly squeeze Gambit out of the game. Gambit became frustrated and made ill-advised engages on the Ozone backline. Assuming positions held, and both would be able to win their last few games, there would be a tie breaker -- that there was -- to decide who advanced to the Quarterfinals along with Fnatic.

After being squeezed out by Ozone's siege in Game 2, in the tiebreaker Gambit responded and built a composition that could flank Ozone to win teamfights. The match was firmly in Gambit's corner for the first half of the game, until a Baron throw almost gave Ozone the breathing room to stage a comeback.

But in the end, an unofficial Genja pentakill, followed by an extended teamfight and dash up the mid lane gave Gambit the win. Ozone's loss in the tiebreaker is the last time a Korean team didn't advance from the Group Stage of a major international tournament.

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Moment #5 - Uzi stays alive!

There was a miniature rivalry that transpired in 2013 between OMG and Royal Club. Going into the two team's matchup in the Quarterfinals of the Season 3 World Championship, OMG had a lead in the head-to-head, 4-3. But Royal had gotten the best of OMG in the Chinese Regional Qualifier most recently.

In the first game, OMG leapt out to an early lead behind star mid laner Cool's Ahri and inspired Lee Sin play from jungler Lovelin, but a series of nail-biting teamfights gave Royal the edge.

In the second game, OMG once again got off to a lead, but it was Royal who controlled the game down the stretch. In a desperation final fight, OMG took a great fight where they had a flank on Royal. But great team reactions made OMG pivot to the flanking Uzi.

And then… it happened.

There were so many things that went right for Royal in this fight, but this was an eye-opener for the Western world. Uzi's mechanics and team-fight positioning were immaculate. It was something that we hadn't seen before. And it was on Uzi's mechanics, drive, and excellence that Royal went to back-to-back World Championship Finals.

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Moment #6 - ahq beats EDG in Taiwan

The game itself wasn't that exciting until the ending, and it was the circumstances for which this game became truly special. In front of an exuberant Taiwanese crowd, Taiwan's own ahq e-Sports Club defeated the top seed from China, Edward Gaming.

ahq came into the 2014 World Championship as one of the biggest underdogs. Not only did they come from the so-called inferior Garena Premier League -- they weren't even the 1st place seed. They had played relatively well leading up to their second match against Edward Gaming, but no one would have thought this would end up being one of the biggest upsets in Worlds history.

EDG dominated most of the game by simply controlling the map and setting up a devastating poke comp, for which ahq had little recourse. And even attempts to hard engage were thwarted adeptly.

But with some great heads-up adaptation, ahq stayed in the game, keeping it close by some key pick-offs and aggressive map play.

Even though EDG had played their poke comp to perfection for nearly 45 minutes, NaMei's famed late-game positioning finally broke -- twice.

Even though ahq went on to lose in the tiebreaker match that was forced by winning this game, it was a huge step forward for their region.

Next week we'll take a look at some more of our favorite moments from previous Worlds. What are some of your favorites? Let us know on Twitter and in the comments below!

35 Comments

TrollFan0110 votes

Kabum beating Alliance

SpookyPowa1 votes

And paiN beating CLG. :3

TrollFan016 votes

Nowhere NEAR as bad as Kabum beating Alliance :3

SpookyPowa1 votes

Hum, it was a victory they had to get, paiN was a brazilian team, CLG was NA's best hope and heavy favourite of the group behind KOO. Well, you have to agree, it looks like #KaBum, smells like #KaBum, is #KaBum. (Btw, I don't understand why my message was that much downvoted and TrollFan01's one upvoted. Both matches are very similar. Would it be a negation of what happened ? :p)

TrollFan015 votes

Not really since CLG was already eliminated from the KO stage so winning wouldn't have done anything. Alliance still had a chance to make it out and actually was the biggest favorite to make it out after they had that perfect game against NWS and then #Kabum happened and ALL never recovered. ALL was the only remaining hope for EU and arguably the best team from EU last year and then that happened.

Dunno about the voting thing. Just came back when I got the notification.

SpookyPowa2 votes

@TrollFan01 (comment below) : It's still a victory from Brazil over NA. And it was not a troll game, judging at what Doublelift said during the Mic Check. Yet, I agree, the context was slightly different.

TrollFan013 votes

While it is a victory for a Brazil team over NA CLG weren't trying hard. They tilt so much it's incredibly annoying. I'm not discounting the win just saying it doesn't mean as much as Kabum beating Alliance since Alliance were the heaviest of favorites to make it to Quarters.

I'm arguing in favor of Kabum's win having more merit because Pain's win ultimately meant nothing whereas Kabum's was a tournament DEFINING win.

SpookyPowa1 votes

"I just want to stomp Pain Gaming so I don't get those stupid Facebook messages about how BrTT greater than DoubleLift" Doublelift at least was trying hard. And CLG was also a heavy favorite to make it to the Quarters. Thet were in the "Group of Life", their qualification wasn't even a question, it was taken for granted. This defeat did not really have consequences for CLG. It was more a symbolic defeat, because it tied them at third place with paiN, which is pretty atrocious for their pride.

TrollFan012 votes

I think DL was messing around. Listen to his tone when he said that. It didn't sound serious. Group of Life and CLG still couldn't make it to Quarters. They're career choke artists.

TSM only won a single game and yet they had a better Worlds than CLG. C9 was a beautiful tragedy with being a single win away and they had a better Worlds than CLG. CLG is trash who had a fluke win at MSG against a struggling team. So sad they made it to worlds instead of Team Liquid.

Buzanami1 votes

CLG is trash I lost all respect for them after they lost too KOO and went on tilt. yeah you win some you lose some but just because you lose doesn't mean you get depressed about it. CLG honestly never had the chance of making it out. From their record they always start well and get everyone's hopes up but they throw in the end. Classic CLG. At least Alliance had the chance to make it out but they were upset. Pain beating CLG isn't that much of a shock since they were throwing that whole day anyways. I actually liked Alliance and was rooting for them and C9 and it was kinda sad they didn't make it out but you can't compare and huge upset like that game to just steamrolling a trash team like CLG.

Yxgl222HaX2 votes

Kabum beating alliance then Najin getting beat by C9 kicking Alliance out thanks to kabum. My favorite part of all the worlds ive watched so far. Close second would be Fnatic losing to OMG last year as well by one single hit on the nexus. That game was insane

TrollFan012 votes

Oh hell yeah. That game can give you a heart attack lol

Moray eel9 votes

When c9 beat najin white shield in s4 worlds to get into the quarters. A really close game but also represented a big step for na to beat a Korean team.

QuartzGolem2 votes

look out, C9 fanboy in the room

Buzanami1 votes

C9 didn't take the energy like they were supposed to on day two...I think everyone had their hopes on C9 after CLG threw and TSM was being TSM.

Fed Support NA7 votes

Anyone who complains about fanboys..... FanBoys/FanGirls are what make this game Legendary. The reason for such a large fanbase is.... THE FANS.... we love "our teams" and support them, igniting our passion for the games played by the pros. So Represent your favorite team if you want to, or ...... STFU! (shut the F*** up)

Colin73 votes

I feel sorry for Uzi since OMG is destroying him. From the best AD in the world to the most expensive alternate in LPL........

SneakyTheWalrus3 votes

Oh Gambit.. I miss it when you used to "strategically" win amazing team fights.. I miss the Russian masters in M5 making the world shake..

Bomberjack2 votes

Man.. those moments. Feels like yesterday, nostalgia :D

MadridHiguain2 votes

Best adc UZI Best vayne UZI

IKenZu2 votes

#JUSTHEREFORTHEVIDEOS

ArtemisEntreriNA2 votes

Ahhh I so miss Joe miller and De-man. One of my favorite quotes by Joe "They can take baron or they can say screw the baron lets go for the win" aww man brings back so many good memories. Miss ya joe and de-man

SpookyPowa2 votes

Yoy're so damn right, they were awesome. :c

IckleWick2 votes

Isn't it ironic how 4 out of 5 members of ozone return to win as White? Or is it just me.

LLific1 votes

So, why does ahq win one single match in taiwan "make the world" again? Just because they beat a team that they thought that was stronger than them? If that's the reason, why not paingaming winning clg? hr royal club beat ssw once, that looks like a bigger impact than ahq, since ssw was champion. come on, tell me you r talking about the big moment to the world, not to one region.

Rated Oni1 votes

Because everyone beat TSM this time like in the MSI? ahq showed that they were good under pressure and look at them now, finally in quarterfinals and TSM home. Royal Club... do we need to talk about the whole China/Korea exodus again? Their win against SSW as impressive, but they ended up falling at the end. I feel that they are not showing everything they liked at season 4 and next time they will put more about the end including Royal Club's win.

LLific1 votes

Talking about end up falling at end....well, ahq does good under pressure, and look at them now. I mean, i understand any fans can be a eagle eye when they seek the goodness of their favorite team, and I respect that. But when u talk about "the moment that make the world" I would think about something bigger, like Froggen anivia or Faker Zed vs Bjergsen Zed, at least some mention like xpeke back door. A team winning one match at their home,( not mentioned they ended up falling at the end and also get beaten by so many teams) for those who's not a big fan would be like "Yes, congratulation, good job, so what? Wait, does this moment make the world?" And yes, I am a TSM fan, so what? and I didn't say anything about them at the beginning. Saying how bad they did in world or msi (tbh, i dont think ahq did well in msi either) does not make your favorite team looks any better, so stfu.

IKenZu1 votes

AHQ NAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAZ

KÜNK1 votes

LOL was so much better back then......

MysticFlameHaze1 votes

I HONESTLY can't remember me playing league when it looked like that lol. seeing aatrox made me realize how old he is

SKT GODV1 votes

OMGGogoing.

KEVINNEEDSSHOT1 votes

Miss UZIsummoner 31

Reengar1 votes

Fnatic is the best, but I don't think they will win finals, and I'm not sure about EDG.

EnderJay1 votes

xPeke's Kassadin backdoor anytime soon?

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