LPL sweeps LMS and VCS in Rift Rivals, takes on LCK in finals

The Chinese LPL region has secured their position in the Rift Rivals 2019 championship match following an impressive semifinal performance.

Marking the third consecutive year of this regional showdown, the LPL and LCK will once again battle for supremacy in the tournament’s final stage. The Chinese teams earned this opportunity by delivering a clean 3-0 sweep against the combined LMS and VCS squads, demonstrating strategic superiority across multiple game phases.

Professional League of Legends analysts note that this consistent performance against international competition signals the LPL’s growing dominance in the global esports landscape.

The semifinal series commenced with JD Gaming facing Flash Wolves in a best-of-five format that tested both teams’ adaptability. Throughout the tournament, Flash Wolves displayed noticeable improvement in their macro play and team coordination.

During the early game phase, Flash Wolves established control by effectively reading JD Gaming jungler Seo “Kanavi” Jin-hyeok’s movement patterns. Their lane pressure tactics and ultimate ability usage created significant advantages in the opening minutes.

Despite Flash Wolves’ commanding start, JD Gaming executed a perfectly timed turnaround during a critical mid-lane engagement. The team successfully countered an aggressive initiation from Su “Hanabi” Chia-Hsiang on Kennen, creating the necessary space to secure a decisive team fight victory and transition to Baron control.

Rather than committing to a potentially disastrous engagement, Flash Wolves made the strategic decision to retreat to their base, allowing JD Gaming to claim the nexus uncontested. This decision highlights the importance of risk assessment in high-pressure competitive scenarios.

Following the opening match, Top Esports took to the stage to maintain the LPL’s competitive momentum against MAD Team. The Taiwanese organization implemented surprising roster adjustments, including moving substitute top laner Tsai “Rock” Chung-Ting to the support position alongside Ko “K” Kai-Sheng.

The early game featured intense action and frequent skirmishes. MAD Team’s mid laner Chen “Uniboy” Chang-Chu maintained aggressive positioning that initially provided his team with advantages.

The unconventional bottom lane configuration ultimately created vulnerabilities that MAD Team couldn’t overcome during the mid-game phase. Top Esports capitalized on this instability to regain map control and stabilize their strategic positioning.

Mid laner Zhuo “Knight9” Ding delivered an explosive performance in the later stages. Across multiple engagements of varying scale, Knight9 consistently emerged victorious from confrontations, eventually leading to Top Esports eliminating the entire MAD Team roster, securing Baron, and advancing toward an uncontested victory.

FunPlus Phoenix entered the arena at match point with the LPL needing just one victory to advance. Dashing Buffalo faced the challenging assignment of extending the series against overwhelming momentum.

The third confrontation replicated established patterns from previous matches, with Dashing Buffalo establishing early game dominance and effectively containing FunPlus Phoenix’s movements.

As the match progressed, the initial advantage gradually diminished, and FunPlus Phoenix identified the perfect team fight opportunity to mount their comeback. This pivotal engagement translated directly into securing the Baron buff and culminating in a victory at the 31-minute mark.

This match demonstrated the critical importance of maintaining pressure throughout all game phases, as early leads can quickly evaporate against disciplined late-game teams.

The LPL’s commanding performance establishes them as formidable contenders heading into the championship matches. The finals will commence with an opening game featuring Kingzone DragonX against Invictus Gaming, setting the stage for another chapter in the storied LCK-LPL rivalry.

Based on their semifinal showing, LPL teams appear to have superior team fighting coordination and late-game decision-making capabilities. These strengths will be tested against the methodical, calculated playstyle characteristic of LCK organizations.

For teams looking to improve their competitive performance, studying these high-level matches provides invaluable insights into advanced macro strategy and objective control timing.

No reproduction without permission：Game Guides Online » LPL sweeps LMS and VCS in Rift Rivals, takes on LCK in finals LPL dominates Rift Rivals 2019 semifinals with strategic gameplay and decisive victories