VCS top seed GAM Esports has pushed through the League of Legends World Championships Play-In stage to earn the second-last spot in the Swiss stage, downing regional rivals Team Whales 3-1 in an explosive series to kick off the final day of the Play-Ins.
GAM, who will make their third appearance at the Worlds main event later this week, fell into the Play-In group lower bracket on day one after a loss to Brazilian reps LOUD. The Vietnamese squad forced their way back through Movistar R7 before meeting and defeating LOUD in the revenge match, setting up a meeting with Team Whales.
Outside of jungler BeanJ, the TW squad was debuting at 2023’s pinnacle League tournament and had shaken off the nerves to top group B with wins over WQS qualifier BDS and CTBC Flying Oyster. However, their VCS rivals would prove a step too far for the young squad.
GAM opened the series with a 27-minute win behind Kati’s Syndra, with the midlaner proving to be a major difference across the four matches. While TW struck back with a vengeance with an incredibly one-sided win in game two, the 20-3 kill score would be quickly forgotten as GAM solidified their grip on the Swiss stage spot.
Kati saved his best performance for last, posting five kills and 17 assists including numerous solo kills as he styled on TW with Orianna, walking away with the match MVP and leading GAM back to the Worlds main event.
GAM also made it to the Worlds 2022 main event via VCS’ automatic invite, with their appearance last year marking the return of the Vietnamese League to the main tournament after the COVID pandemic locked the region out of Worlds attendance for 2020 and 2021.
In both 2019 and 2022, GAM went 1-5 and was bundled straight out of the tournament, but with the new Swiss stage format introduced for the first time at Worlds 2023, the squad will be hungry to go further. They’ll join LCK’s Dplus KIA and LPL’s Weibo Gaming in the fourth pool for the draw, alongside the winner of the final Play-In qualifier between PSG Talon and Team BDS.
The League Worlds Play-Ins wraps up today, with Talon and BDS’ best-of-five deciding the 16th and final squad at the main event.
