by Weibo Gaming has stunned the League of Legends community once again, defeating LNG Esports 3-1 in the quarter-finals of LoL Worlds 2024.
Coming off a narrow escape in the Swiss Stage, where they secured a critical win against Dplus KIA, Weibo defied the odds and upset the heavily favoured LNG at the Adidas Arena in Paris, France.
LNG entered the knockout stage with momentum, boasting a perfect 3-0 record from the Swiss Stage, including victories over Team Liquid, LPL first seed Bilibili Gaming, and Dplus KIA.
In contrast, Weibo had a challenging path, enduring losses to Gen.G and G2 Esports before winning decisive matches against Fnatic and Dplus KIA to secure their spot.
Despite LNG’s status as the favourites, Weibo’s superior preparation and draft strategy were evident from the start.
WELCOME TO THE #WORLDS2024 SEMIFINALS, @WEIBOGAMINGLOL! pic.twitter.com/uNYp3t3TDu
— LoL Esports (@lolesports) October 17, 2024
Game one saw Chen “Breathe” Chen’s dominance on Gnar, maintaining his unbeaten record on the champion and leading his team to a 31-minute victory.
A decisive clash near the 30-minute mark allowed Breathe to survive LNG’s focus, creating space for Wang “Light” Guangyu’s Ashe to secure a triple kill and close out the game.
Game two was a thrilling back-and-forth battle.
Although Weibo initially led and appeared set to go up 2-0 after securing Baron, LNG mounted a brilliant base defence, turning the game around with key fights and securing the victory in 43 minutes.
Tang “Zika” Huayu’s Jax and Wei “WeiWei” Bohan’s Sejuani carried LNG to victory, setting the stage for a tense game three.
In the pivotal third game, Li “Xiaohu” Yuanhao’s mastery on Orianna was the difference-maker.
The veteran mid laner put up a perfect performance with eight kills and eight assists, leading Weibo to a 37-minute victory and a 2-1 series advantage.
Weibo capitalised on a botched LNG initiation in the final clash, securing an Ace to take the upper hand.
LNG seemed deflated in game four, falling to another Xiaohu masterclass, this time on Aurora.
He recorded six kills and 14 assists as Weibo completed the upset with a convincing 30-minute win, finishing the game with a 22-8 kill lead.
Light’s Ezreal and Breathe’s continued solid play on Gnar helped secure the 3-1 series triumph.
The victory not only secured Weibo’s spot in the semi-finals but also marked Xiaohu’s rise to the second-most wins at Worlds, trailing only Faker.
The veteran, who led Weibo to last year’s grand final, now has his sights set on the elusive Worlds title.
Weibo’s resurgence has been driven by ramping team synergy, with Breathe and Xiaohu leading the charge.
With their win, Weibo Gaming has earned at least a top-four finish and a minimum prize of US$178,000.
They will face the winner of Hanwha Life Esports versus Bilibili Gaming for a spot in the final.
Meanwhile, LNG exits the tournament with a 5th-8th place finish and a US$100,125 consolation prize.
Weibo’s journey to the semi-finals is a testament to their fighting spirit and resilience, as they look stronger with each passing series.
The end of #Worlds2024 for LNG ?? pic.twitter.com/9QJbpfJlkk
— LoL Esports (@lolesports) October 17, 2024
