Guangzhou, China – This year’s League of Legends Quarterfinals saw Fnatic’s championship hopes dashed by Royal Never Give Up (RNG) with a decisive 3-1 win in their Best of 5 Series.
While the other three quarterfinals series saw some upsets and hard-fought victories, the series between the EU LCS stalwarts and the LPL favorites has been the only one in the knockout stage so far to finish 3-1.
That does not mean that Fnatic did not fight well during the four matches. In fact, Fnatic had the better part of the games in their favor, thanks in large part to Broxah’s early ganks. However, Fnatic just could not keep the pressure and momentum going during the mid- and late-game stages.
RNG was keen on weathering Fnatic’s early onslaught and securing key objectives during the course of their match-up. Following their victory, RNG is set to face the reigning Worlds champions SKT Telecom T1 in the semifinals.
Fnatic’s Cinderella Story Ends
Given how they got there in the first place, many considered Fnatic the underdogs going into the quarterfinals. From a dismal 0-3 standing in the first week of the Play-In stages, Fnatic clawed their way to finish strong and gain the second seed and a spot in the knockout stage.
The team was keen on keeping their Finals hopes alive as they battled against RNG. However, RNG had other plans – they withstood the early game pressure, punished Fnatic for every misplay and came through in grabbing key objectives during pivotal moments to secure a Semifinals spot.
Fnatic vs RNG Game 1
Fnatic and RNG’s first bout saw Fnatic going with their tried and tested Bot Lane carry game, as well as early game pressure from Broxah, while RNG focused on feeding their Top Laner, LetMe. Eventually, RNG’s strategy worked to secure the win, as Rekkles and Fnatic did not have any answer to the fed Cho’Gath.
Winner: Royal Never Give Up
Fnatic vs RNG Game 2
Game 2 saw Fnatic grab Sejuani and Cho’Gath, which left RNG scrambling for a new team composition. This led to an early gold advantage for Fnatic. However, RNG was able to secure two key Baron plays down the stretch to eventually come out on top and eek out another win.
Winner: Royal Never Give Up
Fnatic vs RNG Game 3
Fnatic bounced back in Game 3, thanks in large part to sOAZ’s outstanding Gnar gameplay. He ran roughshod in the top lane, providing constant lane pressure against RNG. Meanwhile, Rekkles and company continued to press the attack on the other side of the map, and eventually the win for Fnatic.
Winner: Fnatic
Fnatic vs RNG Game 4
Following Fnatic’s stellar performance in Game 3, RNG realigned their focus and played the late-game route against Fnatic. RNG used Fnatic’s reluctance to bring the fight to them, which led to a decisive clash in the 35-minute mark of the game. RNG’s team composition proved to be the difference, as Twitch and Corki gave them the firepower they needed to defeat Fnatic and win the series, 3-1.
For more news and updates regarding the 2017 League of Legends World Championships, click here.
Likewise, catch our coverage of the Worlds 2017 matches on our League of Legends page.
Leave a Reply