TL;DR
- RNG enters as heavy favorites with superior individual talent across all positions
- Jungle matchup between Wei and AHaHaCiK will determine early game control
- Best-of-one format creates significant upset potential for underdog UoL
- Betting value heavily favors UoL due to inflated odds despite lower win probability
- UoL’s path to victory requires early game snowball and capitalizing on RNG complacency
The Mid-Season Invitational 2021 features an intense showdown between Royal Never Give Up and Unicorns of Love as they compete for Group A dominance during the tournament’s second and third days.
Group A presents an unusual three-team format where all squads battle for two advancement spots. While securing a top-two position remains the minimum objective, both RNG and UoL appear determined to claim the group’s top seed rather than settling for second place.
This confrontation gains additional excitement from both teams’ flawless opening performances against Pentanet.GG. Although Pentanet was widely regarded as the tournament’s weakest competitor, RNG and UoL demonstrated convincing victories through coordinated team play and individual excellence.
Both organizations have placed significant emphasis on jungle control during initial matches. RNG’s Yan “Wei” Yang-Wei delivered a dominant Rumble performance that established this champion as a potential top-tier jungle selection for the entire event. His impressive 6/1/10 KDA ratio against Pentanet positions him as RNG’s primary victory condition against the Unicorns.
UoL’s Kirill “AHaHaCiK” Skvortsov has consistently served as his team’s foundation throughout the competitive season. His Nidalee execution against Pentanet demonstrated exceptional map pressure generation and objective control. The clean 2/0/6 statistical line confirms AHaHaCiK possesses the capability to compete evenly with Wei during critical early-game skirmishes.
Despite the jungle-focused narrative, RNG maintains theoretical advantages in every lane position. However, the completely revamped competitive meta combined with best-of-one formatting creates substantial upset opportunities. Neither squad has faced genuine competitive tests yet, making complacency a legitimate concern for this matchup.
RNG vs. Unicorns of Love rosters
RNG roster:
- Top – Li “Xiaohu” Yuan-Hao
- Jungle – Yan “Wei” Yang-Wei
- Mid – Yuan “Cryin” Cheng-Wei
- Bot – Chen “GALA” Wei
- Support – Shi “Ming” Sen-Ming
Unicorns of Love roster:
- Top – Vladislav “BOSS” Fomin
- Jungle – Kirill “AHaHaCiK” Skvortsov
- Mid – Lev “Nomanz” Yakshin
- Bot – Stanislav “Lodik” Kornelyuk
- Support – Aleksandr “SaNTaS” Lifashin
RNG approaches this contest with championship expectations, placing zero competitive pressure on their underdog opponents. UoL has repeatedly demonstrated comfort in the underdog position, evidenced by their impressive 2020 World Championship run where they advanced to the main event bracket. A Unicorns victory would represent the tournament’s most significant upset, though certainly not beyond realistic possibility.
UoL’s victory conditions necessitate establishing early-game advantages against RNG to create snowball opportunities that even LPL champions cannot contain. While statistically improbable, the betting economics strongly favor supporting the underdog in this particular matchup.
Wagering against LPL title holders always carries risk, but this specific game presents compelling risk-reward dynamics. RNG clearly maintains substantial raw skill advantages, though international tournaments consistently produce unexpected results, including major upsets.
Examining the available odds reveals minimal value in backing RNG, making UoL the strategically superior betting selection. Last year’s World Championship provided precedent when PSG Talon defeated JD Gaming, demonstrating that smaller regions can indeed overcome Chinese competitive dominance.
An RNG victory returns minimal odds around 1.08, while UoL offers substantially more attractive 6.5 odds. Considering the best-of-one structure, identifying value in supporting the Unicorns becomes mathematically justifiable, whereas RNG wagers provide negligible profit potential.
RNG and UoL will compete initially on May 7, with a subsequent match scheduled for May 8.
Action Checklist
- Analyze jungle pathing patterns from both teams’ opening matches
- Review champion select priorities and ban patterns for both squads
- Calculate optimal bet sizing based on 3-5% of total bankroll
- Monitor live odds movement for value opportunities pre-match
- Evaluate post-game to identify betting strategy successes and areas for improvement
No reproduction without permission：Game Guides Online » RNG vs. Unicorns of Love: MSI 2021 betting analysis Strategic analysis of RNG vs UoL MSI 2021 matchup with betting insights and roster breakdown