GAM Esports and Team Whales will take centre stage for a spot in the next round of Worlds 2023.
In the deciding series to determine the second seed of Group A, it was GAM Esports who came out on top with a 2-0 victory over LOUD. It will now be an all-VCS showdown in the second round of the Play-In Stage between GAM and Team Whales for a spot in the Swiss stage.
As for LOUD, they are the third team to be sent home as the undisputed CBLOL champions left Worlds 2023 at the same stage as last year. While LOUD did manage to get the first series victory, GAM's revenge must feel a lot sweeter knowing they are the cause of the Brazillian squad's elimination.
And it was LOUD who managed to take an early lead in the first match, being able to pick off multiple members of GAM with some great ganks from Johnhoon "Croc" Park. But as the game wore on, GAM was able to bring themselves back as Linh Vương "Slayder" Nguyễn was able to come online as well. He went on to get 10 kills with only two deaths, which also included a triple kill.
Aside from Slayder, Đặng "Kati" Thanh Phê also chipped in with nine kills and 11 assists. LOUD's first game win was enough to instil confidence in the GAM squad, who came out rejuvenated for the second match. And this time, the VCS champions did not let up as they were dominant from start to finish. Not only did GAM keep LOUD to just three kills for over half an hour, Slayder ended the match with the most kills yet again with nine alongside zero deaths.
Both Duy "Levi" Khánh Đỗ and Nguyễn "Palette" Hải Trung also brought their A-games in the jungler and support roles in the first and second game. Game one saw both players get 17 assists each and the second match had them get 12 assists each. It was an overall solid performance from GAM, who will have a best-of-five against fellow countrymen Team Whales the next day.
The match will take place at 12.00 p.m. KST after it was announced that the schedule of Worlds 2023 would be altered to accommodate Western viewers.
