Image: Riot Games
Undefeated giants G2 Esports and T1 went up against each other in the first match of MSI 2022’s Rumble Stage.
MSI 2022’s Rumble Stage has kicked off with a bang. The very first match of the day saw G2 Esports taking on T1. Two giants came to a head here, with T1 having been undefeated for 26 matches and G2 undefeated for 20 in a row. Two winning streaks enter a game; only one can leave. In this case, G2 took the win, and T1 had to finally eat humble pie. Let’s go over the match.
T1 and G2 went with what casters affectionately refer to as a ‘bouncehouse’ comp due to the amount of close-combat power on both sides. The match hadn’t even started yet, but we were already promised some fairly entertaining teamfights.
This game hit the ground running. T1’s Faker and G2’s CaPs immediately went at each other in the midlane. First Blood struck within the first two minutes of the game, going to T1. Neither team was wasting any time. T1 had its foot in the door with this early lead, but didn’t manage to get much further in over the next few minutes. T1 did manage to get its first dragon at the six-minute mark, with G2 deciding not to contest.
T1 has historically played its maps really well, stretching an early lead well into the late game and scoring the victory. The enemy team can have a hard time catching up, but if anyone was going to do it at this point, it was going to be G2. We didn’t see any big unexpected plays by the 10-minute mark, with T1 only holding on to its small early lead due to a lack of teamfights. It also managed to get the first turret of the game.
G2 went for the game’s second dragon and nabbed it without much opposition. At the topright turret, we saw T1 make an aggressive push against G2 and scoring a kill for themselves, before leaving the turret alone afterwards. It was all about map control for T1. At the 15-minute mark, T1 had a two-kill and 5K gold lead. T1 picked up two more turrets in exchange for G2 getting another dragon, freeing up most of the midlane objectives. T1’s Oner managed to score a massive Triple Kill after Faker was confronted by the opposing team, giving his team an even bigger lead. Still, with 6-4 kills and a 5k gold lead stacked against them, it wasn’t looking impossible for G2.
At the 23-minute mark, we were seeing teamfights unfold at a near constant pace. G2 grouped up with all five players, unwilling to give T1 an inch in battle. A teamfight saw G2 come out on top with very slim healthbars, but T1 ultimately either retreating or getting downed in battle. This was the start of a big comeback from G2 and after another massive teamfight around the Baron, G2 came out with a four-kill and 1k gold lead by the 28-minute mark. T1’s early lead officially didn’t matter anymore - G2 had caught up and then some.
G2 moved down the midlane cautiously, looking for an opening into the opposing team’s base. They took down a turret, but there was no moving on through without a teamfight getting in the way. G2 had free roam of the map at this point, which was another point in their favour. They could take their time. With the Baron buff on the line, another teamfight unfolded with the Baron getting killed by CaPs - giving that buff to T1. Another win for G2 not only in this fight for the Baron, but in a teamfight against T1. At the 34-minute mark, G2 had 16 kills to T1’s 8.
G2 wouldn’t let the game hit the 40-minute mark. At 39 minutes, the team rolled into T1’s base and scored the win, proving their winning streak to be the stronger of the two. What a day! The Rumble Stage has only just begun, but we’re already seeing fireworks in great display as teams clamber over each other in a bid to get to the Knockout Stage. Stay tuned for our continued coverage of Rumble Stage Day One.
