The ninth week of the 2021 LPL Spring Split kicked off with an intense series today between LGD Gaming to Rare Atom. While LGD were fighting to earn a spot in the Spring Split playoffs, RA tried to extend their win streak to 10 series.
LGD grabbed a 2-1 victory today after three games with bloody early phases and proactive playstyles from both sides, giving RA their first loss in four weeks.
RA spilled blood first in this League of Legends series with a bold level-one dive before the first-minute mark of the game on the bot side. This turned out to be the most surprising action of the series.
While top laner Cube was watching out for the top side, the four remaining RA players rushed toward LGD’s bot laner Kramer and killed him under his turret to earn a comfortable starting advantage.
LGD fought back, however, by performing a dive on the top side of the Rift at level four, getting two kills on RA players. Udyr’s Leyan harassed the top lane throughout the whole game, which paid off and helped them grab the first win of the series.
Every game was a roller coaster in true LPL style. Both teams tried to perform invades and early dives on the opposite side of the map, skirmishes in the jungle, and fierce teamfights around neutral objectives. Despite a high tempo, the games were long due to how balanced it was between both teams.
Although RA bot laner iBoy had a strong performance, it wasn’t enough to grab the win. Jungler Leyan also made risky picks that didn’t pay off, like Mundo and Karthus, since he was heavily focused in the ban phases.
LGD bot laner Kramer, on the other hand, showed clean positioning and strong mechanical skills, which earned him the MVP title of the first game on Jinx. He was also decisive on his Aphelios in the last game. RA mid laner Uniboy was voted the MVP of the third game thanks to his clutch shockwaves on Orianna.
With this victory, LGD stay in 13th place in the LPL standings with a 4-8 record. Their chances of qualifying for the 2021 LPL Spring Split playoffs are slim, especially considering they still have to face top teams like Invictus Gaming, RNG, and JDG. But LGD fans still have hope to see the team of rookies earn a spot.
LGD will face off against OMG tomorrow at 3am CT, while RA will have a chance to bounce back by playing RNG next Monday, March 22 at 3am CT.
Make sure to follow us on YouTube for more esports news and analysis.
