WBG has the chance to flip the script on its head if they manage to defeat LNG, who are the only team that hasn't lost a single time throughout the entire tournament.
Did they fail to meet expectations and lose just like Summer Season? Or have they learned from their mistakes and are ready to make it to finals another year?
Game 1
First game starts off with LNG aiming towards controlling the sidelanes with their team composition while WBG go for something a bit more well rounded. If LNG finds a lead early on they will easily stomp this game, otherwise they will fall off rather quickly.
Early game lane swap led to a 2 for 2 trade that's incredible for WBG as Renekton is out of the game when he is a key champion in this comp. This doesn't last long as LNG rotates from Voidgrubs to top getting a kill on breathe and stabilizing the lane.
A teamfight breaks out getting LNG a huge gold lead, but theyre still behind in XP. This 2 level lead in top leads to a solo kill further pushing breathe ahead and giving WBG huge control of the map as they take every objective uncontested in the mid game transition.
LNG eventually stabilizes but hasn't been able to take anything in terms of objectives. After WBG take 3rd Dragon a very messy fight breaks out with LNG winning in the end; WBG simply wasted too much time and got picked off. This is soon followed by another teamfight where WBG simply lacked the damage to get kills giving yet another lead to LNG due to mismatched tempo and slightly suboptimal macro game. However they get their act together sneaking a Baron and cross mapping the Dragon. This slings them back into the lead as control of the map is taken via bringing down all outer turrets and a botlane inhibitor.
It's at this point that LNG get a bit too hasty, jumping the gun on a suboptimal fight promptly getting aced and WBG wastes no time heading straight for the Nexus.
Game 2
Well rounded compositions on both sides, leaning towards engage and teamfighting. LNG will have better side laning but WBG has a range advantage. If LNG fall behind they can easily end up lacking enough damage to win fights.
A very awkward lane swap as the game starts eventually works out amazingly for LNG, getting 2 kills and a CS lead for the entire team, even for Ezreal who was on the other side of the map. This snowballs into incredible tempo for LNG allowing them to get 3 Voidgrubs and first Dragon completely uncontested.
10 minutes in and LNG still have total control of the map, now getting the last 3 grubs for free. As second Drake was coming up WBG couldn't find a single chance to get back into the game. They decide to fight this time barely getting the objective, trading 2 for 2. Since tarzan took a long time to die LNG managed to quickly rotate and claim Herald. With LNG focused on destroying a midlane turret, Weibo is able to kill Jax, claiming a shutdown which gave them a much needed break.
Third Dragon is in sights and Weibo must take this fight. Thanks to Zika being off tempo they're able to squeeze into the pit and claim the objective. A fight soon after breaks out in midlane which is completely one sided for them, finally reaching a position where winning this game is a possibility.
Teams take it slow until the next Drake spawn, when both toplaners find themselves in top. Xiaohu decides to Teleport, joining Breathe and putting the rest of their team in a pretty bad position. LNG quickly punish this picking off their teammates in midlane and claiming this Dragon.
The game stays in a lull state until the next Drake which goes uncontested for LNG as WBG put some pressure on the Baron but can't seem to make any progress. At this point they're forced to force Baron. After a very tight teamfight Weibo claims Baron, winning the encounter. Zika tried and ultimately failed to successfully flank, LNG was wiped the second he separated himself.
Weibo was quick to use the Baron buff to siege botlane. It's here that they become too amibtious, threatening the Nexus towers lands them in a terrible situation ultimately getting killed. This is a massive throw propelling LNG back into the lead. Mountain Soul is taken and Weibo's Nexus towers are now pressured. Game is tense as one fight will decide the outcome.
Baron becomes the next objective as teams converge onto eachother; WBG is swiftly dismantled barely keeping 3 players alive, buying the smallest amount of time possible. Elder Dragon is now the climax of the game, Weibo fights to the best of their ability but there was nothing they could do at this point. LNG take their Nexus as they stare from behind a gray screen.
Game 3
Weibo didn't have the most perfect picks in their draft, although they did technically get 3 winning lanes. Top and Bot are amazing matchups while Mid is only slightly better for them.
LNG attempt a lane swap but were met by a perfect response; The rotation was matched, thwarting their plans and giving away the First Blood. A short lived victory as they collapse on an invade, getting a double kill with no return kills. Once again control of the game is acquired very early on.
With a propelled tempo, now able to rotate much faster than Weibo, the first 3 Voidgrubs are taken. Everything comes with a price as the cross map forfeits the first Dragon. A really good sequence is found with their players rotating Topside with the intention of diving Breathe. Weibo masterfully anticipates this, easily shutting down the play with their own map movements turning the situation on its head. Finally in the lead, second batch of Grubs is taken without a fight using the tempo lead.
LNG once again spots the correct play, trying to catch Breathe as he walked towards his Botlane turret. Perfectly countered another time, their escape is cut off getting them picked off. Weibo continues growing their lead.
Now setting up for third Dragon, Hang is picked off. Herald is used to destroy 2 turrets with this advantage before dragon, spawns. So much time was spent that LNG manage to rotate in time claiming the objective for themselves, at the cost of giving Weibo another pair of leads failing to take the lead away from them; until an opportunity to pick off their botlane is spotted. Baron is instantly taken getting the most out of this outplay. Control over the game is taken back little by little as they slowly pick off players.
Weibo is doing a great job at stabilizing the game, claiming the next Dragon right as it spawns. The game is down to how sidelanes will be played. Teamfighing is scary for LNG, they want to force fights on sidelanes in order to pick off Weibo; this has repeatedly failed so far as they have proven able to respond perfectly, turning these situations around.
Zika pulls light to the botlane, prompting his team to instantly take Baron. With no chance at contesting, Hang is killed and Weibo are only able to kill Dragon in return; Top is pushed during this and Breathe is killed while trying to defend. The Baron pressure threatening Inhibitor turrets gave them a hard time breathing, all they need is time to find another chance at winning the game; They must make a play themselves to avoid walking into LNG's hands.
Dragon comes up but it's still not the right moment to strike with both teams having their eyes set on Baron. They manage to rotate first and are now forcing the fight. Managing to claim Baron, LNG gets wiped from the Rift in a very one sided fight. Perfectly played by Light, Nexus is destroyed and Weibo is one game away from winning the series.
Game 4
Weibo left champions like Yone open in order to get Aurora and Jax. A risky move but LNG ends up with a composition that only deals Physical Damage.
Action begins as the first set of Voidgrubs shows up,.Weibo get there first, yet was forced to move away initially due to incredible coordination from LNG. A very quick decisive fight ends up breaking out and we see once more Weibo's ability to counter-attack all these early game plays, claiming 2 kills and most of the objective. The tempo gained nets them a free first Dragon, slowly snowballing their lead.
Crisp executes an amazing map rotation, sparking a very sloppy teamfight around Voidgrubs. History repeats itself, the result is 2 kills and 2 grubs for Weibo leaving LNG unable to get anything this game. Hope is not lost with 2 players being picked off after failing to execute a dive botlane.
Both teams reset and now the map is split, Weibo claims a toplane tower alongside Herald, giving away Dragon and Botlane in return. Mid game transition begins, sidelanes are becoming a major problem for LNG to deal with. Botlane tower falls and a river fight begins; staying grouped split their enemies apart netting them some kills. It's finally looking great for LNG but they're just not strong enough. Team gets ravaged, inner turret is destroyed and 3 players are dead. Every time Weibo gets something and an attempt to fight back is made, they simply take even more.
Weibo looks to force a fight at Baron, this might not be in their favor and can easily go wrong. A very close fight occurs, barely coming out victorious. Their lead is too crushing now as Baron is claimed putting them 10k gold ahead. Nothing more can be done by LNG, or one would think. Scout finds a miracle play, his pixel perfect movement enables him to take down 3 players, buying his team some much needed time.
A beautiful show but a futile effort as his team gets aced afeterwards inside botlane. Game ends quickly after as Weibo don't waste a second in taking Nexus down and claiming a spot in the Semifinals.
In one of the biggest upsets so far in this tournament, Weibo moves forward after taking down one of the strongest Chinese teams even though they were LPL's 4th seed. The following battles will be even harder as their foes will only get stronger. If they can keep this performance up they just might have another shot at reaching finals.