In the LCK Cup group stage, with just nine BO3 matches left before the Super Week, on the last match day, DRX, at the bottom of the Elder Dragon group, defeated NS to secure their first win of the season. Scout’s form improved, Lotus suddenly underperformed, and NS was unpredictable—able to clean sweep HLE yet lose to DRX. The points race between the two groups has been neck and neck, and among the ten teams, only BRO has yet to claim a victory.

Another match on the same day was T1 versus KT. Although T1 swept KT in this BO3, the games were very exciting. In game one, T1 gained a huge early advantage, with Faker solo killing BDD mid and the bot lane duo securing kills. Doran faced a tough lane and lost some CS, but the team’s overall advantage was overwhelming. Oner aggressively controlled the dragons, and by 24 minutes, T1 had secured the Earth Dragon Soul.

With this lead, T1 expanded their economic advantage through strong map control and turret pushes, winning the game comfortably. The second game was the most thrilling: KT once led by 13,000 gold, holding the Dragon Soul and having destroyed all three lanes of T1, yet T1 managed to turn it around. This match is considered a legendary comeback, rare even in LOL history. Early on, Cuzz set the pace, T1’s lanes were caught out repeatedly, and Peyz started 1-3.

At the 20-minute mark, KT’s kill count was 10 to 1, with a 4,000 gold lead. KT kept winning team fights, and by 30 minutes, holding both the Dragon Soul and Baron buff, they led by 13,000 gold and had taken down all three of T1’s outer turrets. At this point, most viewers likely left the stream expecting a deciding game, but the reversal came: in the crucial Elder Dragon team fight, Oner stole the dragon with a smite steal.

This Elder Dragon not only gave T1 a lifeline but also secured the Baron. Riding this momentum, T1 clawed back 5,000 gold, though KT still held the lead. At 43 minutes, T1 traded Baron for Elder Dragon, and with buffs active, KT attempted a final push. However, Cuzz was instantly eliminated upon entering, and KT’s members were picked off one by one. At 46 minutes, after a team wipe by T1, they pushed down KT’s base, completing an epic LOL comeback.

To summarize how huge KT’s advantage was in game two: 13,000 gold lead, Dragon Soul, three lanes broken, and Elder Dragon—and they still lost. Truly incredible. However, T1’s late-game composition is very strong, and the key to their comeback was Oner stealing the Elder Dragon. Had KT secured that dragon, T1 likely wouldn’t have won, because KT could have pushed with Baron and triple dragon buffs, making it nearly impossible to lose.

Crit build Aphelios deals absurd damage late game, but KT also gave T1 the chance to come back. Akali and Gwen formed a mid-game double carry lineup with over 10,000 gold advantage but hesitated to engage, allowing T1 to farm safely for 15 minutes. If KT had dared to fight between 25 and 30 minutes, T1 would have lost long ago. Such a large lead yet playing so passively is hard to believe. After this game, all five KT players must be mentally shaken.

NS’s upset loss to DRX and T1’s comeback win over KT mean the Elder Dragon and Ancient Dragon groups remain tied in points. GEN and T1 have contributed six points, while BRO and NS are holding back their groups. HLE’s poor performance is also a key reason why the point gap hasn’t widened; they have one win and two losses, with their only victory against bottom-ranked BRO. The points race between the two groups remains very competitive.

Conclusion:

T1 fans experienced a rollercoaster of emotions watching game two—starting with a poor opening and multiple mistakes, the game seemed lost and hopeless, but suddenly they were celebrating victory. Such dramatic swings are something only T1 can deliver; other teams would likely have already prepared for game three by then.

So, what do you think about T1’s comeback in this series?

Feel free to share your thoughts!