Tickets for the LoL Worlds 2024 Knockout Stage in Paris are running out! Another pair of quarterfinalists advance to the next stage as Hanwha Life Esports (HLE) and Top Esports (TES) triumph in the Swiss Stage Round 4. They now join Gen.G Esports and LNG Esports as the first four teams to secure their spots.
Meanwhile, their opponents Dplus KIA (DK) and FlyQuest (FLY) are going to Round 5 along with four other teams. This is their final shot at securing a slot to the Knockouts; otherwise, they’ll be booking a flight home.
TES Dominates DPlus KIA
The LPL powerhouse, Top Esports, displayed their strength with a quick and convincing 2-0 victory over DK. TES showed off their strategic abilities and adaptability, most evident in their successful moves to counter Showmaker’s Yone pick in Game 2.
Game 1: TES took control in the early game and outplayed DK with an aggressive play around the botlane tower at 14 minutes. This proved to be a good strategy, as TES simply had the game before Aiming’s Smolder could even start to become a threat. With their relentless pace, TES ended the game in 33 minutes with an impressive 15-4 kill count and a10k gold lead.
Game 2: DK put up a decent fight with a stronger early game, featuring Showmaker on Yone. However, TES was able to punish DK’s macro mistakes and teamfighting weaknesses mercilessly in the late game. 369 on K’Sante put out a noteworthy performance, while Creme on Aurora was effective at countering DK’s strategies.
This win is particularly significant for TES, who in recent World Championships struggled in making it out of the Swiss Stage. Meanwhile, DK is put in a risky position, as they now sit with a 2-2 win/loss record. In their next match, they either go to the quarterfinals or say goodbye to the tournament.
HLE Escapes FlyQuest Threat
In the Swiss Stage battle between LCS and LCK first seeds, many did not expect FlyQuest to threaten Hanwha with a potential defeat. The NA team went down with a fight in the 2-1 series that ended in HLE’s favor.
Game 1: FLY stood a real chance with their creative draft of Urgot, Amumu, and Cassiopeia, able to catch up to HLE with impressive team fights. This almost secured them the win, until HLE narrowly snatched it with a clutch teamfight after catching Bwipo out of position. The LCK top team ended the game in 33 minutes with a 16-12 kill score.
Game 2: FLY pulled out a surprise Nunu jungle pick in the second game and caught HLE off-guard. Hanwha also were caught with poor positioning, enabling FLY to win teamfights and secure important objectives. Making up for his Game 1 mistake, Bwipo ran rampant and secured multiple kills on Olaf, becoming the key to FLY evening the series.
NOT DONE YET:@FlyQuest fight back in game 2! #Worlds2024 pic.twitter.com/zSJLURsZ28
— LoL Esports (@lolesports) October 10, 2024
Game 3: HLE had the early game all in their control for Game 3 despite another surprising draft strategy from FLY. Despite a valiant effort from FlyQuest in defending their base, HLE regained control, highly thanks to Peanut’s Skarner turning the fight around. FLY was left defenseless as HLE completely sealed the series 2-0 with a 30-minute win.
PEANUT TURNS THE FIGHT! #Worlds2024 pic.twitter.com/Ge3W2xVAHj
— LoL Esports (@lolesports) October 10, 2024
The Road Ahead
Five quarterfinal slots are now booked after T1’s third victory in the October 11 Swiss Stage Round 4 matches, making three LCK and two LPL teams bound for the Knockouts so far. The top two regions in the LoL esports scene have dominated the final stage of Worlds for the past years. Fans are excited whether Western teams in the decider rounds like G2 Esports and FLY can also manage to sneak in.
DK, FLY, G2, and BLG are all set to compete in elimination matches on October 13 and 14. Two teams are still to join this line-up; the winners of the following Bo3 matches:
- Weibo Gaming vs. Fnatic
- Team Liquid vs. GAM Esports
The Road to Paris
Only three contested spots remain in the Worlds 2024 Knockout Stage roster, but the competition is truly only just heating up. FLY showed admirable resilience up to their respectable defeat, and DK is surely determined to prove that they can bounce back. TES and HLE have shown outstanding performances that earned them their Knockouts passes, and fans await to see if they can bring the same level of play against tougher opponents.
The League of Legends World Championship 2024 will move on with its third and final stage on October 17. The LoL community can expect heavier high-stakes matches in this bloodbath for the main event in London. Only two contenders will come out celebrating from the Adidas Arena and Paris; will HLE and TES be one (or both) of them?
