The first round of the LCK third split qualifiers has ended, with NS beating BRO and moving on to the winners' second round. DK then went up against BFX. Prior to the match, most fans supported DK, as they had a strong seven-game winning streak late in the group stage, indicating the team was regaining form. BFX, confronting this in-form DK, appeared to have little hope.

While everyone expected an easy win for DK, they paid tribute to TES and harshly proved their fans wrong. The two teams battled through five games, with BFX even reaching match point first. In the final deciding game, DK lost due to an unusual draft. Reviewing this BO5, let's analyze where DK went wrong. The first game was an easy win: early kills in the bottom lane, a strong teamfight from T1’s jungler and AD carry, and the game ended in just 30 minutes.

In the second game, both teams played cautiously, farming peacefully until the first blood at 11 minutes. DK had a slight early advantage and started with the Rift Herald. However, DK got overconfident, giving BFX an opportunity. While the mid laner pushed top lane and the top laner cleared minions bottom, three players tried to contest the Herald but lost two members and even gave up the mid outer turret. Later, a failed five-man engage led to a team wipe, and BFX dominated to even the series.

The third game was purely decided by the jungle and top lane difference. BFX secured a double kill at level three in the bottom lane, and DK lost their lane advantage without their "Skateboard Shoes." Sion dove repeatedly under towers to initiate fights. BFX reached match point first. In the fourth game, BFX’s draft was a bit odd, picking Vayne bottom. Except for the top lane, DK had advantages early. Despite some mid-game mistakes by Xu Xiu, Gwen and Yone later came online and easily took control of the match.

In the final game, the top laner single-handedly lost the match. During the draft, the coach had instructed to lock in Malphite, but Siwoo confidently chose to let his teammate pick Camille. During laning, he was heavily pressured by Jayce. Xu Xiu secured first blood with a solo kill at 3 minutes but couldn't fix the top lane’s weakness. Without a frontline, DK’s composition collapsed quickly in teamfights. After lasting 30 minutes, DK ultimately suffered a heartbreaking defeat.

Had Siwoo followed the coach’s plan and played Malphite in the last game, DK likely would have won. That lineup had no shortage of damage but lacked a frontline and engage. Malphite counters Jayce well, especially after building Plated Steelcaps. It's simply unfortunate the coach didn’t stick to his idea, resulting in a mismatched lineup that deserved the loss.

Siwoo, the talented top laner, had a poor performance in this BO5, being completely outclassed in lane—no exaggeration. After the series, the MVP was awarded to BFX’s top laner, Clear. Next, BFX will face NS, with the winner advancing to the LCK playoffs. The losing team still has a chance in the losers' bracket, where they will compete with the winner between DK and BRO for a spot.

DK is now in a desperate situation in the losers' bracket. Every remaining match is a do-or-die battle. If they lose to BRO, DK will miss the playoffs. Winning would keep their World Championship hopes alive, but they must win two consecutive BO5s to secure a playoff spot. Given their current form, DK cannot be confident against BRO. If Siwoo continues performing like in the previous match, DK might be eliminated after two straight losses.

Conclusion:

Before the series, many worried Xu Xiu would be the weak link, but after five games, he turned out to be DK’s best player. He never fell behind in lane and even secured kills in matchups. Apart from one teamfight with Viego, his overall performance was solid. The top and jungle duo, as rookies, really need to reflect—they showed less consistency than the veteran players.

So, what do you think? Can DK make a comeback?

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