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The main event of the autumn - League of Legends Worlds 2023 - is gaining momentum. We are watching the play-offs of the championship with excitement, where the matches of the second stage, i.e. the semi-finals, are being prepared for the Long Cogneg.
Weibo Gaming and Bilibili Gaming will open the new stage of the Worlds Championship. The Chinese derby promises to be hot, because at stake is nothing less than a passage to the grand finals of the most important event in the career of players.
We'll break down the upcoming match and try to figure out which team will be the stronger and first to take the LPL to the Worlds final, and who will have to say goodbye to the prospect of becoming the first Chinese Worlds finalist since 2021.
Let's go.
Bilibili Gaming uniforms
The first Worlds 2023 semi-final will open with an analysis of Bilibili Gaming's form. In this encounter, they will be playing the number one side, with odds to win around 1.5.
Last season, BLG made a lightning fast break into the top 2 of the Chinese region, thus clawing their way to the Mid-Season Invitational 2023. Another sensation happened at the international event: BLG made it to the grand finals, only to lose to JD Gaming.
Another plus for BLG is the roster renewed at Long Conference 2023. The club managed to assemble a top company.
- BLG roster: Bin, XUN, Yagao, Elk, ON.
After a really triumphant half-year, Bilibili Gaming has not slowed down at all. The team was the first to reach the LPL Summer 2023 play-offs, and also set a local record: the only team in the history of the series to finish the group stage with one defeat.
In the first match of the play-offs, TES faced off. The game was played under the dictation of vice-champions LPL Spring 2023 and BLG beat TES very confidently with a score of 3-1.
In the final of the upper grid Bilibili Gaming played against their principal rival - JD Gaming team. The reigning LPL champions left their colleagues no chance and shut down BLG with a score of 3-0.
Unlike the spring split, BLG had a slightly less confident performance in the summer. The vice-champions of the Mid-Season Invitational 2023 ended the summer split in third place, Ledgeiv in the match to advance to the LNG Esports Grand Final with a 1-3 score.
Bilibili Gaming got a pretty serious opponent in their first match at Worlds 2023. Yagao and company played against South Korea's top 3, KT Rolster, and in a 45 minute battle they were stronger.
Next up was JD Gaming and there was no way to win. However, Ledge and the first team of China, BLG got a "free" round against Fnatic, thus making the score 2-1.
BLG ran into T1 in a 2-1 basket and it didn't bode well for the Chinese club. T1 won and went on to advance, while Bilibili Gaming travelled to the net 2-2.
In the final Swiss clash, they met G2 Esports. Bilibili won 2-1, sending the first team in Europe home.
In the first round of play-offs Bilibili Gaming met Gen.G. After a rather easy 2-0, the Korean Grand equalised at 2-2, and everything was decided on the 5th map. It was decided in favour of BLG, who caught Chovy several times on Akali, and eventually sent Gen.G home empty-handed.
The most popular BLG characters
The most popular characters in the TOP remain: Gnar (3 matches, 66% wins), Gwen (2 matches, 0% wins), Camile (2 fights, 50% wins), Renekton (2 games, 0% wins), KSante (2 matches, 0% wins).
Jungle is dominated by VI with 6 matches and 66% wins. Also peaking are Wukong (4 games, 0% wins), Nidalee (3 games, 33% wins).
Azir (3 matches, 0% wins), Ahri (2 games, 0 wins), Galio (2 matches, 2 wins), Sylas (2 matches, 50% wins) appear in the mid.
Lucian (7 matches, 57% wins), Varus (3 matches, 33% wins), Zeri (2 matches, 0 wins) pick on shooters.
The most popular support in combination with Lucian is Nami (7 matches, 57% wins), Karma (2 games, 50% wins).
Form Weibo Gaming
We continue the match analysis with the analysis of Weibo Gaming form. In this match they will play in the catch-up status with the odds to win at around 2.5.
Weibo Gaming can be called a newcomer to the LPL, as the club appeared on the Esports radar and the big stage in 2021, and made their LPL debut in 2022.
As a rookie, the results were very good. Weibo made the top 8 twice in 2022, finishing top 6 at LPL Spring 2022 and top 8 at LPL Summer 2022.
At the last tournament played before LPL Summer 2023, the previous LPL Spring 2023 split, the team again finished in the top 6. It's not surprising, as the club has a huge roster.
- Weibo Gaming roster: TheShy, weiwei, Xiaohu, Light, Crisp .
Weibo Gaming very confidently entered the play-offs of the championship. In the group stage of LPL Summer 2023 the team played on the score 10-6, which allowed to take the sixth place.
Weibo's first opponent in the play-offs was Ninjas in Pyjamas, who made a great run through the group stage and then surprised in the play-offs, reaching the top 8. But obviously they couldn't win, with Weibo winning 3-1.
Weibo's next opponent in the LPL Summer 2023 play-offs was LNG Esports, who showed top flight performance in the regular season, reaching the top 2 of the league and almost beating JD Gaming in the finals. Nevertheless, it was Weibo LNG that LNG had to deal with in the play-offs, and that match ended with the score 2-3 not in favour of WG.
In the regional finals Weibo started their performance from the lower grid, where their opponent was TES. A willful 3-2 win was a key argument in favour of Weibo's advantage in this match.
Next up, Weibo played against EDG for a slot at Worlds 2023. WBG played quite a game and ended up shutting out EDward with a 3-1 score, earning a place at Worlds 2023.
In the opening match at Worlds 2023, Weibo Gaming faced off against NRG. The match ended exactly as it should have: absolute annihilation of the first team of America and an easy victory for Weio.
Next, Weibo played against G2 Esports, and this match was perhaps the most unexpected of all at Worlds 2023. G2 Esports outplayed their vis-a-vis in a mind-blowing series, thus sending Weibo to a 1-1 score. Spurred on by the loss from G2 Esports Weibo Ledgeili to host the stage in the form of KT Rolster.
Having hit the net 1-2 Weibo Gaming without any problems swatted MAD Lions, and after that went to play with another representative of the LEC - Fnatic. Weibo Gaming won the decisive match in the Swiss stage after falling behind by one card.
In the first round of play-offs WBG met NRG. The only team from the West only put up a fight on the first of the three maps played, but that wasn't even close to enough to cause WBG any problems.
Weibo Gaming's most popular champions in spades
Weibo Gaming isn't known for diversity in the top lineup. TheShy plays KSante (10 games, 8 wins), Gnar (6 matches, 50% wins). Sion (2 matches, 100% wins) and Renekton (2 matches, 50% wins) make rare appearances.
The ubiquitous Maokai is ignored in the forest (appeared only once and lost). But Vi (6 games, 100% wins), Elise (6 games, 60% wins), Sejuani (4 games, 75% wins) get quite a lot of attention.
The centre line is occupied by Syndra (7 games, 85% wins), Ryze (4 games, 0% wins), Talliyah (3 games, 66% wins).
From shooters like Lucian (5 matches, 80% wins), Varus (4 games, 75% wins), Zeri, Sivir and Caitlyn appeared 3 times each and only Sivir didn't win a single game.
Sapports: Nami (7 matches, 85% wins), Ashe (4 matches, 50% wins), Yummi (3 matches, 33% wins).
BLG - WBG head-to-head history
Bilibili and Weibo have played each other in the LPL. They met each other three times during the season and all 3 matches were taken by Bilibili.
Predicted result for BLG vs WBG at Worlds 2023
I expect a spirited performance from both sides in this match. Obviously, BLG have a much better chance of winning: they have a favourable head-to-head history and beat a more serious opponent in the first round. However, what Worlds is not a tournament where an outsider manages to outplay its principal rival? There is a feeling that WBG can take the series and I'll take a chance to believe it.
Bottom line: WBG wins.
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