Fnatic’s Game One Loss to FunPlus Phoenix at Worlds 2019
Fnatic started their League of Legends World Championship quarterfinal series against FunPlus Phoenix with an interesting draft. They picked Yuumi and Rengar, surprising viewers. However, the Rengar pick didn’t work out for Fnatic when FPX began grouping.
Bwipo, Fnatic’s top laner, is known for playing carry champions. So, the Rengar pick seemed fitting. Bwipo performed well in the early game, securing a solo-kill on GimGoon’s Camille. By seven minutes, Bwipo had a significant advantage and GimGoon had no chance of making a comeback.
Outside of the laning phase, Rengar’s split-pushing potential and mobility can be a threat. Fnatic likely wanted to set up a 1-3-1 split push with Bwipo and Nemesis on side lanes. However, FPX had a counter-strategy. They drafted Ryze, whose ultimate allowed the entire team to be anywhere on the map. FPX also continuously grouped and fought Fnatic, preventing them from executing their split push strategy.
Fnatic constantly found themselves at a disadvantage in teamfights, as FPX had superior numbers. FPX secured Baron and pushed through mid to end the game. Additionally, Fnatic failed to give more resources to Bwipo, nullifying his early lead. Instead, they focused on stabilizing other lanes.
Although the Rengar pick wasn’t the sole reason for Fnatic’s loss in game one, it’s unlikely to be chosen again in the remainder of the series.