Face to Face: Worlds 2019 Group Stage Watchlist

It’s finally here! The Group Stage starts in less than 9 hours and with the abundance of redemption arcs, underdogs, and battle bosses in Worlds 2019, the center stage is set for the League of Legends tournament of the year. Out of the games in the next few days, here are the matchups to look forward to in the first round of the group stage.

G2 Esports wins the LEC Summer Final 2019. (Photo: LoL Esports)

G2 Esports vs. GRIFFIN (10/14, 12:00 AM)

With the way G2 Esports and GRIFFIN approach the draft phase, you can be sure that a head on best-of-one match with these titans will involve head-turning strategies and a true display of skill from their mechanically-talented players. G2 Esports made Pyke Top and Kai’Sa funnel viable in a meta that was starting to fall stagnant while, Griffin used playstyles disruptive of the calm-and-calculated LCK playstyle. With a few weeks of preparation in tow, one can only wonder what kind of strategies can we hope to see in their awaited faceoff. For Griffin, who has always seemed to falter when it matters, their performance in the Group Stage will be indicative of their trajectory in their worlds run. While for G2 Esports, who’s expected by many to take home the Summoner’s Cup this year, Griffin is but one flame to put out on their road to dominance.

iG Rookie. (Photo: LoL Esports)

GAM eSports vs. FunPlus Phoenix (10/14, 9:00 PM)

With the restructuring GAM Esports has gone through in the past season, we’re practically seeing two all-new teams make their first international appearance in Group B. FunPlus Phoenix rose up from the ashes of the previous season and went on to dominate the region in Season 9 with their mid-centric playstyle and well-coordinated teamplay. GAM, on the other hand, focuses around their flexible solo lanes and the prowess of famed jungler of old Đỗ “Levi” Duy Khánh. With Worlds 2019 being their chance to make a name for themselves in League of Legends history, GAM eSports and FunPlus Phoenix’s clash will be telling of who will come out on top of the Group B standings.

Tanner Time reigns supreme as Clutch Gaming qualifies for the Group Stage. (Photo: LoL Esports)

Fnatic vs. Clutch Gaming (10/13, 09:00 PM)

With how Fnatic took G2 Esports to matchpoint in the Finals and swept Splyce in the gauntlet, expectations are set high for Rekkles and the rest of the team. Thus, the cowboys of North America are decidedly the underdog when put side-to-side with champions and legends. For Heo “Huni” Seung-hoon and North America, going up against Fnatic will be a pivotal moment in the fate of Clutch Gaming in the ‘group of death’ of Worlds 2019. Based on their play-ins performance, Nam “Lira” Tae-yoo’s inconsistency is a weakpoint that will be pressed on in the Group Stage and if Clutch can’t keep up with the rest of the competition, they will be left behind. It’s a matter of revenge and redemption for Huni and Sun “Cody Sun” Li-Yu, with Huni against his former teammates and Cody Sun for his critical Tristana misplay in Worlds 2017. With Huni and Cody Sun standing out in the Play-In Stage, it’s going to be a question if whether they can carry Clutch off the back of their impressive performances, first and foremost, against Fnatic and then SKT T1 and RNG.

Damwon Gaming qualifies for the Group Stage. (Photo: LoL Esports)

Invictus Gaming vs. Damwon Gaming (10/14, 9:00 PM)

There’s a lot of hope to go around in Worlds 2019 and for Group D, Invictus Gaming and Damwon Gaming are prospects that could either go big or go home in this year’s worlds. Invictus Gaming, the former Worlds champions, are at a weaker form than they went into in the previous world championship. For iG, Yu “JackeyLove” Wen-Bo and Kang “TheShy” Seung-lok are going to be the pillars towards their victories as these two have been consistently performing well in the past season. Meanwhile, Damwon Gaming’s solo lane tandem in Jang “Nuguri” Ha-gwon and Heo “ShowMaker” Su have been praised for their sheer mechanical prowess and carry potential as evident in the play-ins. For these hopefuls, a win under their belt will count tremendously to qualifying for the Knockout Stage.

As the Worlds 2019 Main Event approaches, we’re bound for a long and fateful ride with momentous twists and turns on the road to the Summoner’s Cup. Who are you going to be rooting for in #Worlds2019? Catch all the action live on watch.lolesports.com starting with Fnatic and SK Telecom T1 tonight at 8:00 PM.

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