T1 went all out, with Doran emerging as the savior! Faker’s Ryze faltered, but the Emperor remained unstoppable.

Greetings to all LPL viewers and League of Legends summoners, welcome to Tianxia Game Hub.

Yesterday, the LCK hosted two matches, one of which was between T1 and DRX. Pre-match expectations were that T1 would comfortably defeat DRX due to the perceived skill gap.

In the end, T1 battled DRX through three intense games before barely clinching the win.

Faker’s Emperor was unstoppable, but Ryze stumbled.

In the first game against DRX, Faker surprised everyone by picking his signature champion, the Emperor, for the first time in his career. DRX paid the price for allowing this pick, and fans got to witness Faker’s masterful solo performance. Compared to other players’ Emperor, Faker’s spinning push looked as natural and fluid as breathing.

After a mid-game initiation with a spinning push, he calmly rotated to the side lane to join fights, skillfully helping his team win teamfights.

Keria’s Thresh was also outstanding, showing flashy plays in lane and working well with Peyz to gain an advantage. Normally, when Faker and Keria both perform at their peak, T1 should win easily, but the reality was different.

DRX successfully caught Faker’s position and secured a kill to start Baron, but Faker returned and turned the teamfight around with a decisive engage. Later, Peyz made a mistake, but fortunately, Doran’s strong performance in the Baron teamfight helped secure the win for T1.

In the second game, T1 started to lose control. Oner’s Sylas recklessly dove under tower, giving away two kills, allowing DRX to gain a lead. However, Doran solo killed Rich, stabilizing T1’s situation. Around the 20-minute mark, T1 attempted to rush Baron, but poor decision-making led to a failed engage. DRX won the ensuing teamfight, and the game slipped away, with Faker’s Ryze also underperforming.

Doran became the savior, while Peyz struggled.

Keria’s performance in the second game was a stark contrast to the first, with many mistakes and a costly ultimate miss, leading to a quick death. The match then progressed to the decisive final game, where Faker picked Ahri mid, a champion previously criticized for his lack of proficiency. He made a funny mistake early on by flashing directly face-to-face.

In this game, Oner’s Jarvan showed exceptional skill, driving the team’s momentum and engaging DRX in chaotic fights — a familiar aggressive, mechanical playstyle. During this, T1 secured Baron through offensive pressure, but later faced another crisis when Peyz mispositioned and died while pushing.

In the late-game teamfights, Doran emerged as the team’s savior, relentlessly slicing through enemies with Gwen, absorbing spells, and single-handedly turning fights around. Ultimately, he led the team to victory.

In summary, T1’s overall form declined significantly compared to the first game. Except for Doran, the other four players made varying degrees of mistakes. Fortunately, Doran stepped up; without his outstanding performance, T1 would have been in serious trouble.

Doran’s skill has evolved, bringing good news for T1.

In my opinion, although T1’s win was not easy, they still controlled the overall flow of the game. Their aggressive, high-tempo style suggests they haven’t yet reached their peak form, instead using this fast-paced match to train their teamfighting skills.

Especially after winning the first game, T1 played more relaxed. They used a similar approach when facing LPL teams before — if they judge the opponent’s skill as inferior, they start to show their true skill later in the series.

If they face a stronger team, I believe T1 will adopt a more disciplined approach.

Moreover, T1 received encouraging news with Doran’s progress. After winning the world championship, his skills seem to have matured; he plays more calmly, confidently, and with fewer mistakes. If Doran can maintain this form, T1’s potential ceiling might even surpass last year’s level.

Of course, Peyz’s poor form in the first two games is a concern, but with T1’s system supporting him, I believe Peyz will quickly integrate and unlock his full potential.