T1 and DWG.KIA are currently the two best teams in the LCK and they will be clashing on the Summoner's Rift this weekend in the semifinals of Worlds 2021.
Come Saturday, October 30 2021, former multi-Worlds winners T1 will be facing the new face of the LCK, the 2020 Worlds champions DWG.KIA. As both squads hail from the same region, it should make for some exciting match-ups. With their match history dating back to 2019, it's easy to notice DWG's claim to fame last year as they steamrolled the competition. T1, on the other hand, lost their way last year and are back with a point to prove this time.
As both teams have faced one another on numerous occasions, they have only ever had two best-of-five series against each other. The first came in the 2019 LCK Summer Split semifinals where DWG lost all three games. The next one happened earlier this year during the LCK Summer Split once more but this time, it was T1 who lost out to DWG 3-1 and got sent to the LCK Regional Finals instead.
T1 vs DWG.KIA - Match Preview
Aside from the two best-of-five series, both teams have faced each other a further 13 times over the past two years. With a total of 15 matches played, DWG.KIA holds a significant advantage over their LCK counterpart, claiming 11 wins over them. Looking at the performances of both teams over the year, it's clear who has had the better season. DWG.KIA took both the Spring and Summer Split titles to go with a second-place finish at the Mid-Season Invitational.
They have also now gone undefeated at Worlds, taking their group stage with ease and finesse as well as dismantling the LEC top seed, MAD Lions. This puts them at 9-0 heading into the semifinals. All in all, DWG.KIA is firing on all cylinders at the moment and is one of the favourites to take their second and back-to-back world title.
And then, of course, there's T1 who under all circumstances have managed to come this far at Worlds. The team has had a rocky few years, missing out on Worlds on two separate occasions after their last victory in 2017. While their 2019 charge did look promising with two Split wins, it ultimately ended with a disappointing finish in the semifinals. Last year was nothing to shout about either with a strong start to 2020 but faltering at the end.
However, they have come back a different team this year and have looked unstoppable at Worlds so far. Placed in a group with the LPL and LCS champions alongside the darkhorse of Detonation FocusMe, T1 took it within their stride and cruised to an easy 5-1 finish. They then put out a notice to the rest of the competition by taking out one of their own in the quarterfinals while making it look effortless.
Who to focus on?
You can't talk about a match-up like T1 versus DWG and not talk about the mid-lane presence on both teams. With the likes of Lee "Faker" Sang-hyeok and Heo "ShowMaker" Su leading the way, it's tough to see where this will go. Faker already has three world titles under his belt to go with a wealth of experience at this stage. As for ShowMaker, he has been on a hot streak over the past two years, being one of the key components that makes DWG tick.
There has also been some debate as to which midlaner will take Faker's place on the throne. Having amassed a plethora of titles over his storied career, it's a matter of when and not if Faker will ever hang up his mouse and keyboard and call it a day. With the talent pool in the LCK as well as the rest of the world stacked with mid lane talent, ShowMaker stands out as possibly the one true heir.
While there are plenty of other talented midlaners right now, ShowMaker has always put on a show (I just had to!) whenever DWG are playing. His ability to work around his teammates, being able to put them on their back or even being utilised unconventionally has shown his strength of versatility and dominance. He also has his very own world title with a high chance of doubling it.
The mid-lane match-up between Faker and Showmaker will be one to watch as both players will be putting their skills and knowledge of one another against each other. Of course, the series isn't entirely focused on them as there is one other player that could very well make an impact: Kim "Khan" Dong-ha.
He has played on the T1 banner before but unfortunately to little success. He is also the only player on the current DWG squad without a world title to his name so he will be looking to show what he's capable of. Khan has already been a dominant force in the top lane at Worlds so far, boasting the third-highest KDA in the knockout stage. He also has the second-highest average kills alongside the highest average assists. While he does lack in farming, he makes up for it in kill participation, dealing 31.1% of his team's average total damage.
What to expect
The best-of-five series between T1 and DWG starts this Saturday, 30 October at 12.00 pm GMT. Both teams will be looking to move on to the grand finals and it is shaping up to be a blockbuster of a series. With the score currently tied at one apiece in terms of both teams facing each other in a best-of-five series, it could very well go either way. Both teams are on a hot streak at the moment and it's hard to see who will take this.
But given the history between the two teams, it's hard to see this going in T1's favour. The past has not been kind to them and DWG will be looking to take advantage of that. Given that they have been undefeated so far, they will be looking to keep this streak alive. As for T1, if they can keep their composure and not let the past repeat itself, they could very well walk away with this. After all, everyone loves drama.
