DAMWON Gaming Secures Victory Against Lowkey Esports in Worlds 2019 Play-In
DAMWON Gaming emerged victorious in the first play-in knockout series at Worlds 2019 against Lowkey Esports. As the third seed from the LCK, DAMWON was expected to dominate the competition, and they proved their dominance throughout the play-in stage with an undefeated record. While facing Lowkey in the knockout stage, there was little doubt that DAMWON would continue their winning streak. However, Lowkey showed they were up for the challenge.
Throughout the play-in stage, DAMWON struggled with their early game, which Lowkey exploited in game one. By starting with a top and bot lane swap, Lowkey was able to secure kills and gold for their player Nguyễn Phước “Celebrity” Long Hiệp’s Tristana. Despite DAMWON’s favorable teamfights, Celebrity’s teammates protected him and allowed him to continuously shred through the entire team. Ultimately, Lowkey won the last teamfight and destroyed DAMWON’s Nexus, handing them their first loss at Worlds.
Although the outcome of game one was unexpected, it was the only surprise in the series. In game two, DAMWON showcased their aggressive playstyle by making an early aggressive dive onto Lowkey’s bot lane, securing an early lead. They continued this early game aggression in games three and four, leading them to a 3-1 victory in the series.
Even though Lowkey lost to DAMWON, this series was a significant moment for both Lowkey and the VCS. No Vietnamese team had previously won against a Korean squad, making this achievement monumental. Additionally, Lowkey’s strong performance in the play-in stage further demonstrates the need to include a second VCS team in the Worlds lineup.
DAMWON now awaits their placement in the main event, with three best-of-five series remaining to determine their group. However, as they cannot be in the same group as another Korean team, they will be placed in either Group B or D.
DAMWON Gaming, Lowkey Esports, Worlds 2019, play-in, LCK, VCS, League of Legends, Korean team, Vietnamese team.