LNG Esports makes a big splash in the LPL with its latest lineup

LNG Esports brings in one of the world's best midlaners to further the team's cause.

Regarded as the LPL's dark horse this year, LNG Esports are looking to further their reputation within China as a dominant powerhouse with their finalised roster for the 2022 season. With Xie "icon" Tian-Yu leaving the team, LNG turned to one of the LPL's best midlaners, TaeSang "Doinb" Kim, formerly of FunPlus Phoenix. He will be joined by Zuo "LvMao" Ming-Hao from JD Gaming, rounding up their six-man roster.

Of course, Doinb was part of the FPX lineup that won Worlds 2019 but crashed out in the group stages at Worlds 2021. As for LvMao, he parts ways with JD after four years with the organisation, which saw some memorable moments. This included the National Electronic Sports Tournament (NEST) 2018 first-place finish as well as the LPL Spring Split 2020, which was followed up with a quarterfinal exit in the knockout phase of Worlds 2020.

It has been an underwhelming year for both players at their previous teams, with neither of them being able to replicate their past successes. By joining a fast-growing team like LNG, who made it to the group stages of Worlds 2021 in only their second full season in the LPL. This goes to show that the team is young and ambitious, which can only be good for the future of League of Legends in China.

LNG started 2021 on a rough patch, finishing 10th in the LPL Spring Split and getting knocked out in the first round of the playoffs by Suning. They did perform much better in the summer, finishing eighth in the group stage and going on a three-series undefeated streak, eliminating the likes of Suning, Top Esports, and Royal Never Give Up. Unfortunately, the team fell short but lived to fight another day via the LPL Regional Finals.

Fighting from the lower bracket, LNG had to take out both Rare Atom and Team WE to make it to Worlds. In Iceland, they showed the rest of the world just what they're capable of by going undefeated in the first round of the play-in stage, allowing them to automatically qualify to the main group stage phase. Sadly, LNG ended up getting eliminated from the group stages after an exhilarating last day in their group with a four-way tie, which resulted in three tiebreakers.

With their new additions, it wouldn't be surprising to see LNG rise once more next year. The team has some new blood injected into the squad, which already performed way beyond their expectations last year. However, as the bar is already set, it's up to the newcomers to step up and bring the team even further at Worlds 2022.