JD Gaming first team through to Knockout Stage of Worlds 2023

^{_{Image credit: LoL Esports}}

JD Gaming is the first team to qualify for the Knockout Stage of Worlds 2023.

The all-LPL showdown between JD Gaming and LNG Esports went the distance as JDG came out on top in a 2-1 win to be the first team that secured a spot in the Knockout Stage of Worlds 2023. That also means that JDG will now get to watch the rest of the Swiss Stage from the stands as they won't be in action until the start of the Knockout Stage on November 2.

That was the 12th meeting for both teams in a best-of-three series and the record now stands at 10-2 in favour of JDG, who have gotten the best of LNG over the past two seasons. The last time that LNG won a best-of-three over JDG was during the LPL Summer Split group stage back in 2021. But today's match-up could go down as one of the closest series between the two teams.

• Check the results: JD GamingvsLNG Esports

It was fairly even during the opening stages of the first match with JDG having the slight advantage that came during the first blood, which also saw a full four-versus-four skirmish in the top-side river that saw seven kills on the scoreboard in a minute. JDG's superior team fighting comp with plenty of crowd control and push potential still had chinks in the armour that LNG could exploit.

However, it all came crashing down for them after a mistimed Baron steal from Seung-yong "Tarzan" Lee opened the floodgates for JDG to take full control with a team wipe. From there, it was a straight march from the top lane to LNG's base and destroyed the last remaining turrets before another team wiped to seal the deal for JDG.

But in the second match, it was LNG who turned the tides on JDG with its aggressive, early-game comp. This worked out well in LNG's favour as they steamrolled through JDG and left them with just two kills in the entire game. Lee "Scout" Ye-Chan was a man on a mission with five kills, zero deaths, and six assists. It was an overall impressive performance from LNG, who also managed to teamwipe JDG in response.

With the series tied, game three bore some resemblance to the first as it was fairly even at the start until the first blood came, courtesy of LNG. It was also a double kill for Scout to kick things off to give LNG the slight lead heading into the mid-game. But JDG's signature style of team fighting was on full display once more as Lou "Missing" Yun-Feng and Bai "369" Jia-Hao played key roles in setting up perfect initiations for the rest of the team to pounce on. 369 also had his own triple kill towards the end of the game to end it once and for all.

Unfortunately for LNG, they will have to await the loser of the series between G2 Esports and Gen.G Esports before they can play their next best-of-three series tomorrow. As for JDG, it's easy and breezy for them until November rolls around in a little over a week from now.