The 2018 Worlds Quarterfinals Weekend started with the LCK's 1st seed kt Rolster vs LPL's 2nd seed Invictus Gaming. Both teams went 5-1 in the group stage, but IG lost their tiebreaker match to fall to 2nd in the group while KT rolled through in 1st. KT were favourites but no one was sleeping on IG. IG came out with fast, dominant games to take a quick 2-0 lead. Game 3 was a lot more competitive and it ended in one of the closest base races ever with KT edging out IG by 1 hit on the nexus. Game 4 went to KT in a slow and steady pace as there were only 9 kills the entire game. Game 5 was tense from the very beginning as no one wanted to make a critical mistake but IG slowly built their lead and won a few crucial team fights to finish off KT and deny the reverse sweep. KT were one of the pre-tournament favourites but could not live up to the hype of being LCK's 1st seed.
LPL fans were running high with IG qualifying for semifinals and with RNG up next, they could see a LPL-LPL semifinals which would guarantee a finals appearance. RNG were LPL's 1st seed while G2 were EULCS' 3rd seed, which seem like a huge mis-match on paper. Game 1 was nice and easy for RNG with them winning 12-4 in kills. G2 came back in Game 2 with Akali and Varus to push the pace to even the series 1-1. Game 3 felt like Game 1 again as RNG were able to control the game with a slower pace and take the game with 8-3 in kills. Game 4 was a straight domination by G2 with Aatrox leading the way on 7-1-4. RNG was probably the scariest 1-seed out of groups while G2 might have been the weakest 2-seed but this series was going to a winner take all game 5. G2 pulled out the Leblanc and Olaf to continue to pressure the early game and build up a sizable lead. RNG were never able to get a foothold onto the game and Uzi was being focused in every team fight. Perkz went godlike going 11-0-4 on Leblanc and felt like the reincarnation of Faker as G2 pull off one of the biggest upsets in recent history.
2018 was the year of upsets with reigning Champions Gen-G not making it out of groups, then MSI Champions RNG losing in quarterfinals and not to mention two 2-seeds advancing to the semifinals on Day 1. Could Day 2 live up to the hype or would things normalize? The West already had their representative in the semifinals in G2, but both Cloud9 and Fnatic were looking to join them. NALCS' 3rd seed Cloud9 were up against LCK's 2nd seed Afreeca Freeks in the first match on Day 2 and everyone was expecting the unexpected. Early agression by XinZhao created the advantage C9 needed to take Game 1 easily. Game 2 was the reverse as it was AF who were aggressive early game and picked up kill after to kill to make it 9-2 in kills by the 18th minute. C9 were still playing the map really well and they caught out 2 members of AF in the top lane and were turning the game around. Kills across the map let them go Baron on a 5v3 and take the subsequent team fight only losing 1 member. C9 were up 2-0 and on the brink of North America's first semifinals appearance. Game 3 felt eerily similar to Game 2 as AF played aggressively and won a team fight around dragon 3-0 and went straight for Baron on a 5v2. The 2 remaining C9 members were Ornn and Lissandra, which allowed them to contest the Baron. The Ornn ultimate from distance knocked up the entire team and Lissandra was able to chunk out everyone. AF barely survived with slivers of health but Ornn had stolen the Baron and turned the game into C9`s favour now. C9 swept the series and advanced to the semifinals!
With another 2-seed going into the semifinals, all the pressure was on Fnatic to advance as a 1-seed. EDG came out with the 2-seed buff as they showed no mercy onto Fnatic as both Scout and iBoy went deathless going 8-0-10 and 7-0-9 respectively on Leblanc and Xayah. With triple infernal Drakes and the Baron, EDG were able to strike first in the series. Game 2 saw Caps' bring out his Irelia and it was his turn along with Rekkles to go deathless at 6-0-8 and 3-0-5 respectively. A well planned Baron saw Fnatic successfully pick off 3 members of EDG to not allow them in the pit and secure Baron. A push through mid and bottom ended the game and saw Fnatic even the series at 1-1. Game 3 was a back and forth affair that went into the super late game going past 45 minutes. Fnatic started Baron with a 5v4 advantage as Ray was just respawning with teleport. Haru jumped into the pit and stole Baron but at the cost of his life. Fnatic turned and caught out Ray as well to take 2 kills even after losing Baron. Fnatic pushed down mid and the 3 remaining members of EDG could not defend as they took down the nexus easily. In a similar situation to Game 3, Fnatic look to take Baron after a small fight win at the 30 minute mark. This time they have Nocturne ultimate to deny vision and take the Baron and start the fight outside the pit. An extended fight see EDG going too far forward and Fnatic capitalizing taking out 4 members. The subsequent Baron push middle saw the creeps overwhelm EDG and they couldn't engage to slow Fnatic down as they advance to the semifinals and become the 3rd Western team in this years semifinals.
If you predicted Cloud9, Fnatic, G2 Esports, and Invictus Gaming as your 2018 Worlds Semifinalists then you are a god at pick'em.
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