DRX won two matches on Friday and moved into first place in Group B at the League of Legends World Championship Play-In event in Mexico City.
With victories over Saigon Buffalo and Istanbul Wildcats, DRX improved to 3-0 in group play. MAD Lions (2-1) dropped into second place after losing to Royal Never Give Up. In the day’s other Group B match, Saigon Buffalo defeated Istanbul Wildcats.
In Group A, Fnatic (3-0) remained perfect by taking down DetonatioN FocusMe. Evil Geniuses (2-1) are up to second place after topping LOUD and Beyond Gaming. Rounding out the day’s Group A action, DetonatioN FocusMe beat Chiefs Esports Club.
The event’s 12 teams are divided into two groups for an opening round that consists of a single round robin. After five best-of-one matches per club, the top team in each group will move straight into the Worlds’ group stage, while the second-, third- and fourth-place team in each group will head to a second Play-In phase.
Round 2 of Play-In action, scheduled for Monday and Tuesday, will feature best-of-five matches. The third- and fourth-place team in each group will square off for the right to face the second-place team from the other group. The winners of each of the last two matches head to the Worlds’ group stage, while all other teams will head home.
Twelve teams are already through to the group stage: JD Gaming, Top Esports, Edward Gaming, Gen.G Esports, T1, DAMWON Gaming, Rogue, G2 Esports, Cloud9, 100 Thieves, CTBC Flying Oyster and GAM Esports.
DRX dumped Saigon in 25 minutes on blue behind a 5-1-2 kill-death-assist ratio from Kim “Zeka” Geon-woo. Against Istanbul, DRX prevailed in 26 minutes on red thanks to Zeka’s 12-0-8 K-D-A ratio.
Fnatic, playing on blue, needed 33 minutes to down DetonatioN FocusMe. Marek “Humanoid” Brazda guided Fnatic with a 7-0-6 K-D-A ratio.
Eight matches are scheduled for Saturday:
–Group A: LOUD vs. Fnatic
–Group A: Beyond Gaming vs. DetonatioN FocusMe
–Group A: Evil Geniuses vs. Chiefs Esports Club
–Group A: Chiefs Esports Club vs. Beyond Gaming
–Group B: MAD Lions vs. Saigon Buffalo
–Group B: Royal Never Give Up vs. Isurus
–Group B: Royal Never Give Up vs. Istanbul Wildcats
–Group B: Isurus vs. DRX
League of Legends World Championship Play-In opening-round group standings
Group A
1. Fnatic, 3-0
2. Evil Geniuses, 2-1
3. Beyond Gaming, 1-1
T4. DetonatioN FocusMe, 1-2
T4. LOUD, 1-2
6. Chiefs Esports Club, 0-2
Group B
1. DRX, 3-0
T2. MAD Lions, 2-1
T2. Saigon Buffalo, 2-1
4. Royal Never Give Up, 1-1
5. Isurus, 0-2
6. Istanbul Wildcats, 0-3
–Field Level Media
