DWG KIA thwarted Kwangdong Freecs’ four-game win streak today. The 2020 League of Legends world champions improved to 7-5 in the 2022 LCK Spring Split with this 2-0 victory.
At one point, the Freecs were the last-place team in the LCK with just one win to their name. But the Freecs recently became one of the LCK’s hottest teams, aside from the undefeated T1, after winning four straight matches. They entered today’s match against DWG KIA with an opportunity to tie the former world champs for fourth in the standings. But DWG KIA, who stood at 6-5 before today’s match, were looking to maintain consistency in taking down opponents below them in the LCK standings.
Game one was all about Canyon’s Hecarim. The DWG KIA jungler was everywhere on the map throughout the early game. He first started with a gank onto Freecs top laner Kiin at the three-minute mark before he pathed down toward the bottom side. The Freecs answered back on the top side but DWG KIA held control of both the middle and bottom turrets.
Freecs began to claw back through some crafty dragon takes and picks onto Hecarim. But once a five-vs-five teamfight broke out around the 30-minute mark, DWG KIA began to run away with the game because of Canyon’s strong mid-game power spike. DWG KIA then proceeded to take the Baron before shortly closing out the game at 35 minutes.
And game two was a near replica of the first game in regard to time. This time, Canyon controlled the early game on the Nocturne pick and Showmaker’s Ryze made it impossible for the Freecs to keep pace with the mobility of DWG KIA’s map play.
The Freecs attempted to thwart DWG KIA’s Baron play when they started a fight around the 30-minute mark, but the teamfighting prowess of DWG KIA was too much for them to handle and the Freecs lost both the Baron and their lives. Shortly after, DWG KIA’s 7,000 gold lead was enough for them to storm through the mid lane and end the game and series.
With this loss, the Freecs drop down to 5-7 on the season and see their four-game win streak come to an end, while DWG KIA continue to beat teams below them in the standings.
The Freecs will next match up against Nongshim.Redforce, who have been on a downward spiral, on March 3. Later that week, they’ll face the LCK’s second-best team, Gen.G, on March 5.
As for DWG KIA, they should have an easier week seven against Liiv SANDBOX and Hanwha Life Esports. But given Hanwha’s ability to upset top LCK teams, nothing can be assumed as the LCK transitions out of the regular season and into the playoff race.
