PVB Pulls Off Upset Against G2 Esports
In a surprising turn of events, the Phong Vu Buffalo (PVB) managed to defeat G2 Esports, despite top laner Martin “Wunder” Hansen’s impressive pentakill. This victory keeps PVB’s hopes of making it to the playoffs alive, and proves that even the best teams have their weaknesses. Both teams displayed their aggressive playstyles, but the Vietnamese champions were able to contend with G2 and show that they can compete against top teams.
PVB’s Path to the Playoffs
Prior to their match against G2, PVB needed a series of unlikely events to secure a spot in the playoffs. First, they had to defeat G2, a team that had previously defeated all their opponents except for the undefeated world champions, Invictus Gaming. G2 was in a close race for second place against SKT, as they wanted to avoid facing Invictus Gaming in the semifinals. Every game was crucial, and an upset against G2 would have greatly impacted the standings.
Pick Potential and Teamfights
PVB utilized strong pick potential with champions like Jarvan IV, Lissandra, Varus, and Morgana. They secured First Blood by taking down G2’s Luka “Perkz” Perković, followed by killing Mihael “Mikyx” Mehle shortly after. The laning phase revolved around the bot lane, with frequent ganks from both teams’ junglers. In the midlane, Rasmus “Caps” Winther gained a significant advantage over Naul, accumulating four kills despite being slightly behind in CS by the 15-minute mark. PVB prioritized Drakes and successfully secured the Ocean and Cloud Drakes, leading to a fight around the Infernal Drake where they prevented Caps from eliminating the PVB ADC. Although Caps was eliminated in a potential engage, Wunder’s impressive pentakill turned the game in G2’s favor momentarily.
PVB Dominates and Seals the Victory
However, that would be G2’s last positive moment in the game. PVB proved their teamfighting capabilities by continuously picking off G2 members and securing several objectives. The crowd in Hanoi rallied behind PVB as they secured Baron on the brink of the 30-minute mark and charged into the G2 base for the second time in the tournament, ultimately defeating them. This victory marked the first step in PVB’s extraordinary journey to the playoffs.
The Flash Wolves could have potentially helped PVB’s playoff chances by upsetting Invictus Gaming, but a misplay around the Baron allowed Invictus Gaming to regain control of the game. With the Flash Wolves’ loss, PVB’s hopes of making it to the playoffs were dashed. The final battle for fourth place is now between the Flash Wolves and Team Liquid from North America.
G2 now needs SKT to lose to Invictus Gaming while defeating the Flash Wolves in order to secure second place. Realistically, there is a significant skill gap between the LEC, LPL, and LCK teams compared to the rest of the competition, making it highly likely that Invictus Gaming will choose the team that finishes fourth. This means that G2 and SKT will likely face each other in the semifinals.