RNG jungler Wei saves team with Baron steal to avoid FPX upset in 2022 LPL Summer Split

Royal Never Give Up started their 2022 LPL Summer Split campaign today with a 2-1 victory over FunPlus Phoenix, who have dropped down to 0-3.

The story of this League of Legends series centered around the collapse of FPX, who were on the cusp of grabbing their first series win of the Summer Split in near dominant fashion. After a strong first game from top laner Xiaolaohu and support Hang, FPX were poised to break things open in game two.

But it was not meant to be. Jungler Wei, who ended the second game with a lackluster 1/4/8 scoreline on Viego, emerged as RNG’s savior with a clutch Baron steal to save his squad from a potential 2-0 sweep by FPX.

This steal ultimately allowed the RNG bot lane of GALA and Ming to dominate the late game in game two, which carried over into a masterclass performance in the third and final game of the series. GALA went 7/2/2 on Ezreal in game two and 9/1/2 on Kai’Sa in game three.

Today’s performance was a mixed bag for the reigning Mid-Season Invitational champions. It was the first time they got to test out new top laner Breathe, who performed admirably on Gangplank and Fiora. He boasted a collective 10/5/13 scoreline in the three-game series. 

As for FPX, the 2022 LPL Summer Split has been a disappointment for them so far. While they came into today’s series as underdogs against RNG, their losses against EDward Gaming and Invictus Gaming were in their control.

The rough start for FPX could take an ever deeper dive since their week four opponents, Top Esports and Victory Five, are viewed as frontrunners in the 2022 LPL Summer Split. Nonetheless, FPX will look to reverse their fortunes and grab their first series win of the split. Their next matches will take place on Tuesday, June 21, and Saturday, June 25.

As for RNG, their 2022 LPL Summer Split has finally begun. After taking down FPX, they will look to defend their title as the best LPL team when they take on Weibo Gaming and Victory Five. These matches against LPL titans will take place on Tuesday, June 21, and Saturday, June 25, respectively.