Team Liquid's chances of advancing drop with loss to Machi Esports
Team Liquid dropped its first match against Machi Esports in the 2020 League of Legends World Championship.
Liquid failed to perform in its first game of the main event despite using a classic TL composition. After its play-ins run, the draft became the main win condition for the North American squad. Liquid needed certain champions to be able to compete.
Team Liquid drafted Graves in the jungle, Orianna and Mordekaiser in the solo lanes, and the Caitlyn-Lux combination in the bot lane. This is a composition that worked for the team domestically but proved to be useless against Machi.
Bad draft loses Team Liquid the game in Worlds 2020
The main issue for the composition is the lack of initiation and set up for plays. Team Liquid expected Machi to run at them and make mistakes, but those mistakes and engages never came. Machi proved to be way better than expected and took control of the game early. Machi dominated the lanes and its junglers had a solid presence on the map. Liquid couldn’t do anything about it.
Drafting is a prevalent issue for the North American squads and one that is costing the teams greatly at Worlds. A good draft at Worlds must be capable of doing pretty much everything. Teams need tools to start fights, but also to disengage. Different sources of damage and strong frontlines. Games don’t follow a single pattern and a lack of flexibility can decide the outcome before the game even officially begins.
North American squads are not the most flexible of the bunch. These teams play one style and crumble under pressure when the game doesn’t fit into their preferred pattern. Machi showcased a great ability to fight, but also play for the objectives. The PCS squad made a statement in its debut at Worlds and is looking like a team that can upset group A.
Read Also
League of Legends
The Top-Earning League of Legends players of all-time
Hannan Mundia
League of Legends is one of the most profitable competitive games around, with its popularity meaning that players at the top are very well paid. Here we will compile a list of the top-earning League of Legends players of all-time. The esports scene has exploded in popularity in recent years, largely due to League of Legends. The game paved the way for other competitive games and has been going strong ...
League of Legends
LoL Worlds 2026 returns to the USA: Locations, venues, dates and slots revealed
Owen Harsono
Riot Games have revealed important details for the highly anticipated worlds 2026 tournament, including locations, dates, and some great news for South American fans. Here’s everything we know about LoL Worlds 2026 so far. On March 22, First Stand grand finals day held in São Paulo, Riot Games confirmed the tournament will be hosted in the United States. This will be the fifth time in history that Worlds has been ...
League of Legends
How to watch League of Legends 2026 First Stand
Hannan Mundia
2026 First Stand is shaping up to be the most intriguing League of Legends tournament of this year, prompting the question of how fans can watch it. Riot Games is usually fairly lax about streaming its events, but that doesn’t mean just anyone can stream them live. With this year’s First Stand being the first opportunity fans have to watch how their favorite teams stack up on the big stage, ...
League of Legends
List of qualified teams at First Stand 2026: Who are the favorites?
Hannan Mundia
With the first split of every competitive League of Legends region concluded, the list of qualified teams for the 2026 First Stand tournament is set. Last year's First Stand saw just five teams compete. The stakes are upped this year, with eight First Stand teams coming together for a chance to win the first international event of the year. Here are the teams that made it and who the outright ...
League of Legends
League of Legends 2026 First Stand preview
Hannan Mundia
First Stand will be the first competitive League of Legends international event of 2026. This preview goes through all of the necessary details, including First Stand's location, prize pool, and schedule, ensuring fans can tune in live to support their favorite teams and players. The 2026 First Stand is the newest of the three international competitions in the circuit. Launched in 2025, this year’s tournament is slated to start on ...
Esports Betting
FEARX vs Dplus 2026 LCK Cup playoffs: Preview, betting tips & predictions
Hannan Mundia
FEARX and Dplus KIA will compete in the 2026 LCK Cup lower bracket final to determine which team will face Gen.G in the grand final, and this betting preview highlights all of the important details about this upcoming match. While FEARX and Dplus KIA both went into this split as the underdogs, the two teams have surprised many with their performances since. Reaching the top three in a competitive region ...
Esports Betting
LYON vs Team Liquid 2026 LCS Lock-In predictions, key stats, odds & more
Hannan Mundia
LYON and Team Liquid are slated to face off in the 2026 LCS Lock-In playoffs, and this betting preview highlights the stats and form behind both teams to help you make more accurate predictions and picks. Despite the subpar performance of both teams in the Swiss stage, Team Liquid and LYON have seemingly bounced back in the playoffs. Both teams comfortably won their lower bracket quarterfinals matches without giving a ...
