After the fiasco on October 6th, RIOT Games is going for another try later today in attempt to bring their quarter and semi-final stages to an end. CLG.eu, World Elite, Moscow 5, Taipei Assassins and Azubu Frost are ready to roll, now at a place with a secure internet connection which, if we are to throw in a cheap jab, is probably the presidential fallout bunker.
Fortunately for everybody involved – be it readers, fans or tournament organizers – we’re not here to talk about said October 6th. On the contrary, we’re here in an attempt to erase that from our memory, at least for the time being, and rekindle the hype that should have never died. After all, great matches are still ahead and it’ll just be unfair if nobody gets even slightly excited. Well, I am excited and although it still baffles me how it is possible to schedule a playday for 02:00 CET, the exultation that visits me before the end of every big eSports tournament is bound to keep me awake.
CLG Europe VS World Elite 
Having already played five games in a Best of 3, World Elite and CLG.eu have faced each other more than anybody else and are still tied at 1-1, looking forward to playing the last quarter-final match of the tournament.
At this point, it is almost impossible to say which team is stronger overall. Game one went to World Elite in a speedy and decisive fashion and they were pulling ahead in the second game as well before the first disconnect happened. The longer the series went, however, the more CLG.eu realised one thing: despite being ever so strong in the early and mid-game, World Elite had troubles bringing a late-game to an end. Unfortunately, so did CLG and even with a baron buff and all sorts of advantages on their side, they could not find the way/the decisiveness/the courage to reach out and grab a sure victory in game three.
As the competition resumes, the ball is with WE as they will likely have to leave behind that split pushing strategy they so much love, considering how CLG have preferences towards late-game, farm-intensive style anyways. The momentum from the early aggression and early champion/tower kills must develop into a dead inhibitor and a victory push before the turning point or else the Chinese are risking another sixty-minute Mexican stand-off which they are likely to lose.
Prediction: World Elite 2-1 CLG Europe
As for CLG, they really have to take to heart CloudTemplar’s advice: “It’s not difficult. Just R-R-R and finish”.
Moscow 5 VS Taipei Assassins 
In what promises to be the full opposite to CLG.eu versus World Elite, the Russian powerhouse faces Taipei Assassins, the team that managed to upset NaJin Sword, dismantling them 2-0. Moscow 5 were pointed out to be among the biggest favorites for the $1,000,000 but then again so was MaknooN’s team and Alex Ich and co might just get a bigger challenge than they expect.
Moscow 5’s greatest problem today will be called Toyz – an AP carry that, simply put, never dies and has a 13/0/12 aggregate KDA from the NaJin Sword game, playing a flawless Orianna and Anivia and outfarming everybody on the map. Toyz needs to be shut down by Alex and Diamond or else M5 will be in for a treat.
On the other hand, not dying will be close to impossible for Toyz himself, considering how M5 likes to approach the game. The Xin Zhao/Lee Sin/Evelynn synergy from the quarter finals brought iG to their knees and so did the unorthodox usage of Zilean in the middle. And since playing to Toyz’s tempo won’t get anybody anywhere, it sounds like the Russians are already on the right track.
Prediction: Moscow 5 2-1 Taipei Assassins
Azubu Frost VS CLG.eu/WEFour matches later, Azubu Frost are yet to drop a game and in their fans’ eyes it doesn’t really matter whether it’s WE or CLG.eu that survives to face them: the Koreans are going to be at the finals unless some LoL cataclysm is inbound.
With playmakers like Shy and CloudTemplar and a strong carry duo of RapidStar and Woong, Frost are a team without any real weakness, or at least such is yet to be found. Their playstyle is simple: they win the lanes, push and kill towers (all towers!) as a result and decisively overwhelm you with everything the game has to offer. In other words, they excel exactly where WE and CLG are failing, giving them a serious advantage even before the match has started.
At this point of the tournament, it is hard to pinpoint what Frost’s opponents need to do in order to win. We know that hard-countering their style is not an option since they played a variety of compositions throughout the tournament. Winning the lane phase is also a herculean task, since Shy is already shooting for MVP of the tournament and is widely regarded as the best top laner in, possibly, the entire world. And outpicking/outbanning them is simply impossible as Frost will play a Singed top, grab a support Lux or abuse Miss Fortune and still own everything up. CLG/WE will have one Best of 3 of time to figure out the puzzle that is Korea’s strongest team.
Prediction: Azubu Frost 2-0 ???
