2022 MSI Rumble Stage Day 8: RNG rout T1 in a back and forth affair
T1 are unable to translate their early game leads into a win against another major region team as RNG rout them in a back and forth affair.
T1 are looking mighty overrated as they fall to RNG in a sloppy, but extremely exciting back and forth game here in Day 8. It’s funny how this game was supposed to be the much anticipated match between the de facto frontrunners for the MSI title this year – if they hadn’t gotten their butts handed to them by G2 yesterday…
Related Story. MSI 2022 Day 7: G2 Sit Atop the Titans at MSI as Caps Leads Them to Win vs RNG. light
T1, similar to their G2 game, wrestled early control with very nice skirmishing that put RNG on the backfoot, primarily thanks to Zeus and Faker. Gumayusi’s lucky steals on Heralds and Dragons were also a key proponent in them keeping themselves relevant throughout the game.
However, the LPL champions are no strangers when it comes to a good ol’ fistfight, and RNG delivered in the later stages, rallying behind their franchise player GALA’s expert positioning to outmaneuver T1 in the latter stages. If it weren’t for Caps being on a complete tear this tournament, GALA would easily be my frontrunner for MSI MVP with how perfect he has been playing all throughout. He takes up after his predecessor in Uzi quite nicely; the RNG system of playing around their megastar ADC is something that old school League fans are quite familiar with, and it is very heartwarming to see the GALA fill the seemingly insurmountable shoes of Uzi.
Contrary to GALA’s brilliance, T1’s Gumayusi has easily been the most overrated player of this tournament thus far… The prodigal Korean bot laner had the whole world hyping him up as the latest and greatest talent to tumble out of the Korean server. And while his talent is unquestionable, his overly aggressive play and stupidly cocky positioning has made him look like a fool in more games than not, and he has easily been the weakest point of T1 in their losses to G2 and now RNG. He will have to figure out a way to reign in his overconfidence and respect his opponents more, else T1 might find themselves out at the semifinals – when they were coming in as the heavy favorites to win the whole thing…