T1 keep perfect season intact, advance to MSI 2022 rumble stage

T1’s perfect season continued at the group stage of the 2022 Mid-Season Invitational, where the LCK champions won the first six best-of-one matches of their tournament run and extended their match record on the season to an unprecedented 26-0. 

T1 locked in their place at this year’s MSI rumble stage after their first victory of the day over DetonatioN FocusMe of the LJL. From there, they beat Team Aze and Saigon Buffalo to clean up the group stage and secure a perfect 6-0 record to open the tournament. Saigon Buffalo, who finished the group stage with a record of 4-2, also advanced to the rumble stage out of Group A. 

T1 are the third team to complete a perfect run at the MSI group stage this year, with Royal Never Give Up and G2 Esports also going undefeated in the group stage. 2022 MSI is the first season where multiple teams posted perfect records in the group stage. Before three teams did it this year, only two other teams in history (SK Telecom T1 in 2015 and RNG in 2021) had put up perfect records in an MSI group stage. 

Although they dropped individual games that were played during the LCK Spring Split series, T1 have not lost the decisive game of any match this season. In matches, T1 are 26-0, while their individual game record is a staggering 48-8. 

If T1 aim to get back to the LCK unscathed and keep their perfect season heading into the second half of the year, they’ll have to win two best-of-ones against each of the five other teams in the rumble stage for a total of ten more wins. They would then have to win two best-of-fives to claim the MSI trophy and head back to the domestic stage still undefeated. 

T1 will have the chance to extend their perfect start to the 2022 season when the rumble stage begins on Friday, May 20.