Fnatic’s Strong Start at Worlds Play-In Stage
Fnatic, one of the top teams in the EU LCS, kicked off their journey at the World Championship with a solid 2-0 start, defeating both Kaos Latin Gamers and Young Generation.
After an impressive Summer Split, where they only lost two regular season games before falling to Misfits in the EU LCS Summer semifinals, Fnatic came into the play-in stage ready to prove themselves. They knew the importance of starting strong and securing two wins on the first day to increase their chances of progressing to the group stage.
In their opening match against Kaos Latin Gamers, Fnatic showcased their dominance with a quick, near-flawless victory. Full of confidence, they went on to face Young Generation in their second match, expecting another win to secure their spot in the group stage. Unfortunately, things didn’t go as planned.
During the game against Young Generation, Fnatic’s midlaner Rasmus “Caps” Winther made a questionable choice by picking Leblanc to counter Syndra, a matchup that is usually won by skill. Caps should have opted for a champion like Corki, which would have been a better fit for their team composition.
Despite Caps falling behind due to overly aggressive plays, Fnatic relied on their botlane to lead the team to victory. However, they weren’t the only team facing challenges in the play-in stage.
Hong Kong Attitude, one of the top seeds from the major regions, also suffered a loss to 1907 Fenerbahce. Although Fenerbahce had been behind in gold for most of the game, they managed to turn things around in the final minutes and secure a commanding victory.
HKA, who had previously won against Rampage, failed to break apart Fenerbahce and ended the day with a score of 1-1. Fenerbahce, on the other hand, finished at the top of the group with a flawless 2-0 record after crushing Rampage in their final game.
HKA will face Rampage in their last match on September 26th before the play-in stage concludes.