RNG select Evil Geniuses as MSI knockout stage opponent, G2 to face T1

The matchups for the League of Legends Mid-Season Invitational knockout stage are set. Royal Never Give Up have selected Evil Geniuses as the team they want to play in the semifinals of the knockout stage, leaving T1 and G2 Esports to play each other in the other semifinal match. 

The first-place finisher in the rumble stage reserves the right to choose both their opponent in the knockout stage as well as the date on which they play their first knockout stage match, according to rule 6.4.1 of the Mid-Season Invitational rulebook. Since RNG finished atop the rumble stage standings, they were able to choose between G2 and EG—the rumble stage’s third and fourth place finishers, respectively—as their possible opponent for the semifinals. 

With RNG choosing to play EG on Friday, May 27, the two remaining teams in the picture, T1 and EG, will be scheduled to close out the semifinal round of the knockout stage on Saturday, May 28. 

Related: MSI 2022: Rumble stage scores, standings, and results

RNG won both of their games against Evil Geniuses in the rumble stage. The LPL champions outscored EG 48-15 in the kill department over the course of two games, while winning the contests by an average gold difference of 13,500 gold. RNG, despite going 8-2 in the rumble stage, dropped individual games to the other two semifinalists, T1 and G2. 

T1 and G2 will face off against each other on Saturday, May 28. The winner of that match will await the winner of the faceoff between RNG and EG. The champion of MSI 2022 will be decided on Sunday, May 29.