Disappointing Semifinals at the 2018 League of Legends World Championship
If you watched the 2018 League of Legends World Championship, you might have noticed that the semifinals weren’t as exciting as the quarterfinals. This is especially disappointing for fans of the NA or EU LCS.
The Quarterfinals Were More Interesting
To put it simply, the quarterfinals had more interesting series. The favorites, RNG and KT Rolster, were upset by teams that no one expected to win. Almost every series went to five games and even the ones that didn’t were still filled with action. On the other hand, the semifinals were blowouts and not as thrilling to watch.
Reasons for the Lackluster Semifinals
The teams that made the quarterfinals exciting, G2 Esports and Cloud9, played significantly better in the quarterfinals than they did in the semifinals. They were still underdogs against Invictus and Fnatic in the quarterfinals, but they exceeded expectations. In contrast, RNG and Afreeca Freecs, who faced G2 and Cloud9, performed worse than expected. This led to less competitive matchups in the semifinals.
The Perfect Storm of Disappointment and Cinderella Stories
The combination of disappointment from RNG and Afreeca choking and the unexpected success of G2 and Cloud9 made the quarterfinals so exciting. However, in the semifinals, G2 and Cloud9 played as expected while Invictus and Fnatic didn’t choke. This resulted in a less thrilling outcome, except for fans of Fnatic and Invictus.
Hope for an Exciting Finals
Although the semifinals were disappointing, there is hope for an action-packed World Championship finals between Fnatic and Invictus. Last year’s finals were a 3-0 blowout, so even if the losing team only gets one win, it will still be considered a victory.
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