Team Liquid defeated TSM in a close 35-minute game today. With the League of Legends team’s win, Cloud9 have secured second place in the 2020 LCS Summer Split and a first-round playoff bye.
Both teams played safe throughout the early game with no decisive lead for either roster by the 10-minute mark. Liquid took the first two towers of the game shortly after, however, gaining a near 1,000-gold lead with a successfully placed Rift Herald in top lane. TSM quickly responded by taking a tower of their own, evening out the gold disparity once more.
The rest of the game followed a similar fashion with teams trading kills in teamfights and objectives across the map. It wasn’t until the 30-minute mark when Liquid pulled ahead by sneaking a Baron. With empowered minions, Liquid sieged mid and bot lane and rotated to drake pit to prevent TSM from taking Ocean Soul. TSM gave their fans a glimmer of hope by securing their fourth dragon, but it cost the lives of all five members. Liquid took advantage of the team wipe to close out the game.
With Liquid’s victory, the potential tie for second place between Cloud9 and TSM has been broken. Cloud9 defeated CLG earlier in the day, and had TSM defeated Liquid in this match, the teams would have been tied for second at 13-6 records. TSM’s defeat ensures Cloud9 have an uncontested hold over second place at the end of the regular season.
TSM still have a chance of appearing in a tie-breaker match, however. If FlyQuest defeat Immortals later today, they will lock in third. But if Immortals can take down FlyQuest, then TSM will sit in third and there will be a three-way tie between CLG, Dignitas, and Immortals for eighth place.
Luckily for Liquid fans, though, the perennial LCS champions are sitting comfortably at the top of the standings. Liquid secured first in the Summer Split with yesterday’s victory over Immortals.
The Summer Split playoffs begin Aug. 13, although the eighth and final team to earn a spot in the postseason has yet to be decided.
