G2 Esports proves that T1 has an over-reliance problem

Hannan Mundia Published 09/07/2026

The MSI match between G2 Esports and T1 proved that the LCK powerhouse needs to take a good look at its strategy.

For years now, the LCK has been a dominant force in the competitive League of Legends space. While the LCP has occasionally come close to the number one spot, that hasn’t been the case for long.

In particular, T1 is easily the biggest name in the scene, especially with the team having six World Championships under its belt.

However, the League of Legends meta is constantly shifting. Names such as Faker and Oner have definitely adapted to the ever-changing meta better than most, but the match against G2 Esports during the 2026 MSI lower bracket suggests that T1 may have more underlying issues than expected.

G2 Esports eliminated T1 from the 2026 MSI tournament

Despite what most fans predicted, G2 Esports displayed a masterclass performance against T1, knocking the team out of MSI.

Going into the match, G2 was the definite underdog, per esports prediction markets. The team hasn’t beaten T1 in a best-of-five in seven years, and there was little reason to believe that this would change here. However, the first match alone set the pace for what was to come.

G2 Esports’ top player BrokenBlade – Image credits: G2 Esports

G2 drafted its team composition around BrokenBlade’s Vayne into Doran’s Renekton. Perfectly adapting to this season’s ranged top meta, G2 Esports patiently baited T1 into fights instead of initiating. Things were fairly equal until the mid game, when Caps and Labrov started properly peeling for Vayne as Jarvan IV and Leona.

Paired with Hans Sama giving additional damage as Ezreal and Caps having the CC to ensure T1 couldn’t get away, G2 comfortably won the first game.

The second game arguably went even better for G2. The team started pressuring T1 from the start, taking advantage of proper vision and overall better macro. By the 30-minute mark, T1 just didn’t have any part of the map the team could reliably play on, giving G2 a strong 2-0 lead.

While some believed that G2 could showcase a clean sweep, that didn’t happen. T1 started attacking constantly, which was doable thanks to Peyz taking Xayah.

While Faker, Doran, and Oner’s performances left much to be desired, T1 won the match on the backs of Peyz and Keria. In particular, BrokenBlade was taking down Doran’s Gnar alone as Yasuo, which shouldn’t have happened.

The final game was just a BrokenBlade masterclass. It wouldn’t be a stretch to say that T1 was only relying on Peyz and Keria.

On the other hand, G2 was doing the same for BrokenBlade. Both teams had established carries. But it only took one final teamfight near the end for BrokenBlade to end the game, giving G2 Esports the win.

T1 has to stop betting on its bot lane for every game

T1 may have individually skilled players, but the team’s recent matches suggest that it has to stop relying on its bottom lane to save it every time.

Keria and Peyz – Image credits: T1

Peyz is an excellent ADC and Keria’s unofficial title as the world’s best support player is definitely deserved. But T1’s recent games have followed a painfully similar formula.

Doran would lose or be equal in the laning phase, Oner’s presence in the game would be mostly nonexistent, and Faker’s performance would be a complete coin toss.

T1’s rollercoaster-like games, where the team relies on one fight to get the advantage, may be entertaining to watch, but they’re unsustainable.

Keria or Peyz are usually the players who perform the miracle plays. This means that shutting down these two players basically renders the entire team useless. G2 Esports and BLG both realized this, which resulted in T1 getting knocked out of this year’s MSI.

Regardless of this, it seems like everyone on T1 is constantly trying to be the hero. T1, one of the top teams in the MSI Power Rankings, is one of the most individually skilled teams around. But it’s crucial for it to properly utilize teamwork and strategic plays if it wants to continue winning. Relying on Keria and pure luck won’t work forever.

Feature image credits: G2 Esports

Hannan Mundia

About Hannan Mundia

Hannan Mundia is a lifelong gamer. Don’t believe us? Just ask him. But don’t ask how many hours he’s spent playing. He’s been gaming since the age of three, and much of his live revolves around video games and the video game industry. Whether it’s a classic Legend of Zelda game from Nintendo, the newest Bethesda RPG, or something else entirely, you can bet that Hannan is ready and willing to play it.

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