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LMQ steal the show in Singapore Day One

Riot·9/25/2014, 5:53:36 PM·1 votes·17,634 views
After spending a week in the heart of Taipei, the World Championship moved south to the city-state of Singapore where the two harder groups began with a flurry of activity. Among the headline games were LMQ vs OMG, Samsung Blue vs OMG and Cloud9 vs Alliance. As LMQ embraces its adopted North American roots, Cloud9 held up their end of the bargain as well - North America leads after Day 1 in Singapore.

LMQ vs OMG

While fans and critics couldn't figure out if this match was a China grudge match or the great North American hope against the Eastern giants, this match was incredibly entertaining. Though most analysts and fans thought that OMG won picks and bans, including XiaoWeiXiao giving away Yasuo to Cool, LMQ's team fight composition came together better with great initiations by NoName and XiaoWeiXiao. The game was cracked wide open after a great Thresh hook by Mor, ending in a 4:0 for LMQ where they took an inhibitor and started the advantage that would give them the game.

Samsung Blue vs OMG

<--Embed fight at 29:00 minutes --> While OMG kept the match close for a while, it was clear that they weren't on the same level as Samsung Blue in regards to team synergy and map control. Constant mechanical lapses lead to OMG's pick composition getting behind in gold before a fight at 29:00 minutes ended their hopes. Acorn baited OMG into a bad team fight leading to a Baron for Samsung Blue, who ended the game shortly thereafter.

Cloud9 vs Alliance

While the unrefined may have thought this game boring, it was some of the most beautiful League of Legends that's been played at Worlds. Cloud9 was a level above Alliance and went into every fight with clear purpose and intent. Everything they did was to hit a goal minutes down the road, and their slow stranglehold was broken open with their engage into a Baron and a kill on Froggen.

North America's ascension

This leaves us in a spot where North American teams went 4-0 in the opening day at Singapore, while Europe and China both struggled. LMQ had a comeback win against Fnatic, while Cloud9 dominated KaBuM. With TSM getting out of their group, and Royal Club and SK faltering to differing degrees, could North America be the de facto second strongest region? Here is where we stand after Singapore Day 1: Group C
  1. LMQ: 2-0
  2. Samsung Blue: 1-0
  3. Fnatic: 0-1
  4. OMG: 0-2 Group D
    1. Cloud9: 2-0
    2. Najin White Shield: 1-0
    3. Alliance: 0-1
    4. KaBuM Esports: 0-2
    Group C & D continue tomorrow with Najin White Shield vs Alliance at 2:00 am Pacific Time or 11:00 am Central European Time. Frank 'Riot Mirhi' Fields is a Senior Web Content Coordinator for Riot Games. You'll find him in solo queue on Ahri trying to DFG charm his way up the Diamond ladder, or on Twitter where he'd love to talk to you about esports.

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39 Comments

Shockforce9/25/2014, 9:33:53 PM16 votes

Well if you really think about it. The concept that NA has improved heavily is not very far-fetched considering the diversity of the game-play styles among the teams.

So there was the Classic EU stall game Curse(Push aggression only with a clear lead) Chinese aggression LMQ(Fight everything) Korean rotational aggression game CLG(Attack every opening) Korean objective strangulation C9(Snowball objectives through better trades) Unformed EG, Complexity Classic NA lane to teamfight dominance DIG, TSM(win lane, win game)

And that was a brutal pool to play in because the same tactics would not work against all the teams. This resulted in a large amount of parity between the teams as one team's style could catch another unprepared.

Most of the Na teams had very distinct game styles and although the styles did converge more near the end there was a huge amount of diversity that were not present in EU and China. And diversity is in this case is good, because it is a hell of a way to wrack up experience as it constantly forced a large number of adaptions.

Remember that in the Qualifiers TSM went 3-2 vs both LMQ and C9 which is ridiculously close, as soon as TSM took a game off of SHRC it put out a large possibility that the other NA teams would be able to take games off of Chinese teams.

Nothingness9/25/2014, 6:05:05 PM7 votes

wtf fnatic didn t win ?

ˉNASAˉ9/25/2014, 8:10:16 PM5 votes

Was expecting more people from EU to be whining and trying to explain how EU is still better. For once LoL community no disappoint.

Aliphati9/25/2014, 10:22:34 PM5 votes

Having seen LMQ's performance in the NA LCS, I'm not surprised by their success at worlds... I consider them to be the strongest team in NA despite their third place coming to worlds. They may even be the reason why C9 and TSM have done better than the EU teams... I think, they brought some serious competition (that relentless Chinese aggression) to the NA LCS, thus forcing the other NA teams to improve to keep up... It's something the EU teams didn't have to face. They need to wake up and learn to play less passively, learn to switch on the aggression more decisively here at Worlds... and they need to do so quickly, otherwise their chances are slim.

Most of the Asian teams know, that a good offense makes for a good defense... whereas a good defense will not get you much of anything, unless your opponents make a mistake. At Worlds, victory will not be handed to you on a silver platter. You need to take a risk and seize it, if an opportunity presents itself. With only a few exceptions, every team at Worlds is a powerhouse of precision, coordination and skill. If you don't force your opponents to make mistakes, they're just not very likely to make them.

Some ADC9/25/2014, 6:33:42 PM5 votes

NA putting on a show. Inb4 C9 top of group D

PowerVanger9/25/2014, 6:32:05 PM4 votes

Ahaha Fnatic loss "Error" LMQ!

Raiyn9/26/2014, 2:00:26 AM3 votes

I think NA is doing well but at the same time it appears as though EU teams are slumping or have no idea how to play as a "team" they consistently want to make one person on their team a "Superstar". If you look at SK, the one game where freddy wasn't turned into a "superstar" for SK was the one game they looked strong vs. TSM despite imo having a worse team comp. OMG is obviously slumping watch the SSB vs OMG game you can see Cool miss spells constantly (#2 player in worlds? My ass what a horrible article that was as a side note). Anyways back to my point --> LMQ, C9, SSB, White Shield. These teams don't make one person their "super star" they try to have an overall good team (Arguably SSB have all godlike players but still). Do you hear people call out Vasili the same way they call out Uzi as being an amazing ADC? No. Do you see C9 call out Meteos as being an amazing jungler like alliance call out Shook? No. How about Hai vs Froggen? That Alliance vs C9 game was a perfect example that it is a team game. You can't 1v9 in League of Legends anymore. Froggen and Alliance will never beat the team-oriented teams if they keep trying to make Froggen their "superstar". Same for FNC, I will enjoy watching FNC crumble as they constantly try to make Reckless their "Superstar". Again. Its a TEAM GAME. 1v9ing doesn't work anymore. Sorry FNC, Sorry EU. Sorry China. <Namei got shit on by AHQ because he thought he could 1v9. He couldn't. Enjoy that black mark of NEARLY losing to AHQ, the 3rd seed. Lmao.

Werbie9/25/2014, 6:53:27 PM3 votes

Small mistake in the article, shows Fnatic with one win when they lost to LMQ.

jdizzl9/25/2014, 8:25:48 PM2 votes

if this holds up basically EU is out and it could be 3 koren and 1 chinese team in the semi finals and possibly all korean final... how lame. though technically the US teams could sweep thatd be so awesome

Vãlør9/26/2014, 2:22:25 AM2 votes

Remember when LMQ went 4-0 at the beginning of summer split and ended third overall? Being good straight out the gate is good but only if you can keep that lead...

Loutfy9/26/2014, 11:53:37 AM1 votes

TwistedFate

milzhawaii9/26/2014, 6:38:15 AM1 votes

i agree, with the coming of LMQ coming to the NA LCS, they have forced all other NA teams to catch up to the international play style that they bring to the rift. LMQ really brought out the potential of the top NA teams such as Cloud 9 and TSM. LMQ really brought the NA out of its shell of being destroyed by international teams. I think this might be the year that NA shows up at worlds and give the koreans a run for their money. GO NA!!! thought from a silver 5..

Hubristic9/26/2014, 6:46:58 AM1 votes

NoName and ackerman look like two of the calmest players at worlds. They came in knowing they weren't favored in either game today. Though everyone knows they are an aggressive team, I think they were able to catch their opponents off guard with such decisive play coming from an underdog. Interested in how they will perform now that they are "on the radar" of sorts. Mor is finding ways to make plays, Vasili looks great as always and XWX is cackling maniacally at cristo's mid lane rankings. Go LMQ. Go NA.

GiiMMiiX9/26/2014, 10:14:14 AM1 votes

And now all the EU fan boys dissapear. Alliance up 7-0 and loses. Wheres all the kids from a couple days ago saying EU is better than NA???

DarkNegima9/26/2014, 12:44:46 AM1 votes

Royal Club and SK faltering to differing degrees

I'm not sure how the 5-1 Royal Club is faltering in their group.. I think you were referring to TPA?