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The most important esports event of the year, Worlds 2023, is underway. The group stage is heating up at the South Korean World Cup, where the fate of the tickets to the World Championship play-offs is being decided.
Today we are talking about the basket of teams 0-2, where the only defeat leads to the departure from the championship, but the victory does not guarantee passage to the play-offs. Opening the 1-2 basket will be Team Liquid - GAM Esports.
We are trying to figure out who from the pair GAM - Team Liquid will be stronger and as a result of this match will go to Worlds 2023, and who will have to leave the event.
Let's go.
Team Liquid's form
We open the match with an analysis of Team Liquid's form. In this match, Liquid will play as favourites with odds to win at around 1.23.
If in 2022 the team was constantly in the top of the local league, taking the top 1 at LCS Lock In 2022, and then the top 3 and top 4 at LCS Spring 2022 and LCS Summer 2022 respectively, then in 2023 the situation has changed. At LCS Spring 2023, the team finished Top 8, which is clearly not the level of a top club.
- Team Liquid lineup: Summit, Pyosik, APA, Yeon, CoreJJ .
After the unsuccessful LCS Spring, the team changed the player of the central league. The newcomer was APA, who previously played for Team Liquid Challengers.
Liquid managed to qualify for the LCS Summer 2023 play-offs. They won the group with a score of 10-8, thus securing their place in the top play-offs.
However, they didn't last long there. In the first match Liquid lost to NRG, who are surprising this season. In the first match of the lower play-offs Liquid outplayed 100 Thieves 3-1 and here they are.
Liquid's next opponent in the play-offs was Dignitas. The latter were no competition for Liquid and the match ended 3-0 in favour of Liquid.
Next was a match against Golden Guardians. Being an outsider on paper, Liquid managed to overcome themselves and closed the series with a score of 3-2. A very nervous series, where after two taken cards Liquid gave up 2, but in the end they still finished what they started.
In the match for the grand final Team Liquid played with NRG. Quite unexpectedly, Liquid lost, and NRG subsequently became the champions of LCS Summer 2023.
So far Liquid have not known victories at Worlds 2023, but they played with very serious opponents. First they lost to T1 without much of a chance, and then they lost to Ledge or KT Rolster.
Team Liquid's most popular champions
Kenen (3 matches, 100% wins), Gnar (3 matches, 33% wins), Jax (2 matches, 100% wins), and Rumble (2 matches, 100% wins) are the most popular champions on the top line.
Foresters pick Vi (4 matches, 50% wins), Wukong (4 matches, 75% wins), Sejuani (2 matches, 50% wins), Lee Sin (2 matches, 50% wins).
In the mid are Ziggs (2 matches, 100% wins), Tristana (1 match, 100% wins), Cassiopeia (1 match, 0 wins), Neeko (1 match, 1 win).
On Shooters Aphelios (6 matches, 66% wins), Ashe (3 matches, 33% wins), Lucia (1 match, 1 win), Samira (1 match, 1 win), Xayah (1 match, 0 wins).
On supporting champions Rakan (4 games, 50% wins), Milio (3 matches, 66% wins), Rell (3 matches, 33% wins).
GAM Esports uniforms
We continue our analysis of the match GAM Esports - Team Liquid with the analysis of GAM Esports form. Here the top 1 Vietnamese team is playing as the number two with odds in the region of 4.2.
GAM Esports is one of the most titled teams in Vietnam with 5 wins in regional splits and several top 2 home league titles. At the last event, VCS Dawn 2023, GAM Esports had a very strong run in the play-offs, winning the group 14-0 in the series. GAM played well in the play-offs itself, giving up a total of 4 maps in 3 series.
Vietnam (VCS) - My region with an asterisk. Teams from there are capable of putting up a fight against the world's top League of Legends clubs, as demonstrated by GAM Esports during Worlds 2017, 2019, and even at Worlds 2022.
The peak of performance on the international stage remains 2017. That's when GAM Esports finished in the top 6 at the 2017 Mid-Season Invitational.
To repeat the success of 2017, it is mandatory to beat Rainbow7 in the upcoming confrontation. Everything seems to be in place for that to happen.
- GAM Esports lineup: Kiaya, Levi, Kati, Sty1e, Zin .
GAM has the top performers by VCS standards, which is confirmed by the club's performance at home. However, they didn't help GAM to beat a more titled opponent, namely Golden Guardians, with whom GAM played in the first round of Play-In MSI 2023 and lost without much chance.
All in all, MSI 2023 ended very badly for GAM Esports. After losing in the first round, the Vietnamese unexpectedly defeated Rainbow7 in the first round of the lower grid, and therefore ignominiously left the championship at the Top 12.
The team made it to Worlds 2023 thanks to a win at the home VCS Dusk 2023. In the grand finals they easily beat Team Whales with a score of 3-1.
In the debut match at Worlds 2023 Gam Esports played against LOUD. The Brazilians proved to be stronger, although GAM put up a fight. The match ended with a score of 0-2 not in favour of GAM.
In the previous round GAM defeated Rainbow7. They defeated them on class (2-0), without giving space on any of the maps.
In the previous match, GAM Esports played against the titular Brazilians LOUD. Being the underdogs they showed class and closed the series with a 2-0 score, sending one of the favourites of the Play-In stage home.
In the match to advance to the Worlds 2023 group stage, GAM Esports played against their regional counterparts from Team Whales. They closed the series 3-1 on the experience, thus becoming the first team at Worlds 2023 to make it past the Play-In stage.
Having met all the challenges of the Play-In, GAM Esports travelled to the group stage. The first opponent of GAM Esports was Gen.G, and then Fnatic. In general, there are no questions about the first game, but Fnatic could fight, but it didn't work out.
The most popular GAM Esports champions
Aatrox (3 matches, 100% wins) and Renekton (3 matches, 66% wins) are the most popular champions on the top line.
Sejuani (3 matches, 100% winrate) and Lee Sin (3 matches, 66% wins) are the most frequently played among the foresters.
Ahri/Jayce (7 games, 85% win rate) is the centre line.
Among shooters, Kaisa/Xayah (6 matches, 50% wins) are favoured.
And the familiar Nautilus (8 matches, 75% wins) is in the backcourt.
History of head-to-head meetings
Previously, the teams have not played each other in official matches.
Predicted result of Team Liquid vs GAM Esports at Worlds 2023
Taking into account that we are waiting for Bo3, I will risk to assume that GAM will take at least one map. I believe in their experience during the tournament and in the fact that the North American region will not get the second NRG.
Bottom line: +1.5 on GAM Esports.
