Evil Geniuses Outlast TSM in Intense Playoff Battle
The match between Evil Geniuses (EG) and Team SoloMid (TSM) in today’s League of Legends playoffs was a true test of endurance. Despite multiple delays and pauses, EG emerged victorious with a 3-2 win, securing their spot in Worlds 2022 while eliminating TSM from contention.
Delays and Pauses Plague the Series
The second game of the playoff series was interrupted by a staggering seven pauses, most of which occurred towards the end of the game. After the conclusion of the second game, both teams faced a two-hour delay as engineers worked to fix audio issues that had been negatively impacting the players throughout the series.
The teams made the decision to play through the issues, not wanting to postpone the series to a later date. Despite the audio problems affecting both teams, they chose to continue the competition, considering the issues as a unique competitive disadvantage for all players involved.
EG’s Slow Start and Outstanding Performance
EG struggled at the beginning of the series, similar to their previous playoff round against Cloud9. They lost the first game, which lasted a lengthy 46 minutes, setting themselves at a disadvantage.
However, EG showed resilience and managed to win two of the final three games of the series. These victories, achieved in a combined game time almost equal to the length of the delay, secured their overall win.
Much of EG’s success can be attributed to mid laner Jojopyun. Throughout the series, Jojopyun performed exceptionally well, ending with a total combined scoreline of 17/10/46 and an impressive kill participation mark of 82 percent. In game five, Jojopyun’s Flash-Smite combo secured a crucial Cloud Soul for EG, ultimately tipping the scales in their favor.
EG Advances, TSM Eliminated
With this win, EG now stands just one series away from qualifying for the 2022 World Championship. Their next opponent is Team Liquid, with the winner of the match on September 4 securing a spot in Worlds, regardless of the remaining LCS Championship matches.
Unfortunately for TSM, they have been eliminated from contention for Worlds. After failing to make the playoffs in the Spring Split, the team had a slightly better performance in the summer but ultimately fell short. Additionally, two of TSM’s current starters, Solo and Spica, are set to enter free agency later this year.
Evil Geniuses, TSM, League of Legends, esports, playoffs, Worlds 2022, Jojopyun