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The competition season in China continues. Despite the end of the LPL Championship, where Bilibili Gaming swept WBG 3-0 in the grand finals, the battles of the summer season are not subsiding.
More precisely, they are not subsiding in the region as a whole, where the LPL Regional Finals 2024 are already preparing for the Long Crest. There 4 teams will fight for 2 places at the Worlds 2024.
Among the contenders for passage are LNG and Weibo Gaming. Both Long Sogpeg teams will start their way through the regional finals from the top of the grid, and we will try to figure out who will be the stronger of the pair.
Let's go.
LNG Esports uniforms.
We open our breakdown of the LNG vs WBG match with a breakdown of LNG's playing form. In this match they will play as favourites with odds to win at around 1.95, which in the context of the China regional finals is parity before the Long Sogpeg of the match.
In 2022, LNG began their ascent to the top of the Chinese League of Legends. They finished Top 6 at LPL Spring 2022, but fared better: in the summer split, LNG Esports finished Top 4 at LPL Summer 2023.
They also played at the regional finals in an attempt to qualify for the Worlds 2022, but had no luck. LNG Esports finished in the top 3.
At LPL Spring 2023, after a good group stage, the team finished in the top 6. Not to say bad, but not very good either.
- LNG Esports lineup: Zika, Weiwei, Scout, Gala, Mark.
LNG maintained their class at LPL Summer 2023. The team played a 12-5 regular season, which allowed them to finish in the top 4 and directly advance to the quarterfinals of the tournament.
The first play-offs opponent for LNG was Top Esports. The match ended on map 5 with LNG winning 3-2.
They got here after defeat from the champions of LPL Spring 2023, and at the same time Mid-Season Invitational 2023 - JD Gaming. And defeat in a fairly even game, which ended with 5 maps.
In the next series LNG Esports met with TES. In the match for the exit to the top 3, the once titled club was unable to do anything against the obviously charged in the summer split LNG. As a result, the latter won 3-1.
Next up was the match to advance to the grand finals and a battle with Bilibili Gaming. Finalists LPL Spring 2023 and MSI 2023 could not oppose their colleagues and as a result Ledgeili with the score 1-3.
Having reached the Grand Final of LPL Summer 2023 LNG had every chance to defeat the armoured train called JD Gaming and almost took advantage of them - they lacked one map. LPL Summer 2023 Grand Final ended with the score 3-2 in favour of JDG.
LNG Esports started their performance at Worlds 2023 with a match against Fnatic. Scout literally single-handedly swatted the Orange on their Azir, defeating their opponents on mid with a score of 11-0.
In the second match of Worlds 2023 LNG again faced the representatives of the Western World of League of Legends: this time the number two team from North America, Cloud9. Once again LNG defeated their counterparts on class, although C9 held their own and managed to impose Long Sogpega on the match, but lost in a brawl on the centre line after a Baron takedown.
LNG Esports lost to JDG in the match to advance to the Worlds 2023 play-offs. However, they managed to advance to the main stage at the second attempt, beating KT Rolster 2-1.
However, it was not possible to stay in the play-offs for long. In the first match LNG met with their principal rival from JD Gaming and lost 0-3.
Before the start of LPL Spring 2024 LNG Esports tested their strength at Demacia Cup 2023. There the team played in the first round of play-offs, where they received an invitation, but lost in the first round against Rare Atom, which was a kind of sensation. However, Demacia Cup has never been a tournament of LPL level, and at LPL Spring 2024 LNG took the top 6, which is a bit "not suitable" for the status of LNG.
At the LPL Summer 2024 LNG Long Co-registered from Group C, where they faced big problems, but still made it to the next stage with a score of 3-3. They got back on the Rumble Stage, where they shared the top 1 with Bilibili Gaming, thus guaranteeing themselves the top 4 right away. However, in the first match of play-offs LPL Summer 2024 LNG ran into TOP Esports and, Ledgeiv with a score of 0-3, fell to the bottom net. And they were no match for WBG, losing 2-3 to leave the tournament in 4th position.
The most popular champions of LNG Esports
The most popular champion in the TOP was Renekton (6 matches, 83% wins). Besides him, Jax (2 matches, 100% wins) and Fiora (2 matches, 50% wins) were popular.
Sejuani (4 matches, 50% wins), Maokai (3 matches, 100% wins), and Zac (2 matches, 1 win) played in the forest.
The centre line was dominated by Ryze. Scout played 5 matches on it and won 4 games. Azir (2-0) and Yone (1-1) were selected twice more.
Similar situation with the shooters. Varus has appeared 8 times and has 75% wins. Jhin (50 wins) has visited twice.
Of the shooters, Leon-a (5 games, 4 wins) is rather unfamiliar. Heim (2 games, 100% wins), Nautilus (2 matches, 50% wins).
Weibo Gaming form.
We continue the analysis of the match WBG - LNG Esports. In this match WBG will play as the number two side with odds to win at around 2.2.
Weibo Gaming can be called a newcomer to the LPL, as the club appeared on the Esports radar and big stage in 2021, and made their LPL debut in 2022.
As a rookie, the results were very good. Weibo made the top 8 twice in 2022, finishing top 6 at LPL Spring 2022 and top 8 at LPL Summer 2022.
At the last tournament played before LPL Summer 2023, the previous LPL Spring 2023 split, the team again finished in the top 6. It's not surprising, as the club has a great roster.
- Weibo Gaming roster: Breathe, Tarzan, Xiaohu, Light, Crisp.
Weibo Gaming very confidently entered the play-offs of the championship. In the group stage of LPL Summer 2023 the team played on the score 10-6, which allowed to take the sixth place.
Weibo's first opponent in the play-offs was Ninjas in Pyjamas, who made a great run through the group stage and then surprised in the play-offs, reaching the top 8. But obviously they couldn't win, with Weibo winning 3-1.
Weibo's next opponent in the LPL Summer 2023 play-offs was LNG Esports, who showed top flight performance in the regular season, reaching the top 2 of the league and almost beating JD Gaming in the finals. Nevertheless, it was Weibo LNG that LNG had to deal with in the play-offs, and that match ended with the score 2-3 not in favour of WG.
In the regional finals Weibo started their performance from the lower grid, where their opponent was TES. A willful 3-2 win was a key argument in favour of Weibo's advantage in this match.
Next up, Weibo played against EDG for a slot at Worlds 2023. WBG played quite a game and ended up shutting out EDward with a 3-1 score, earning a place at Worlds 2023.
In the opening match at Worlds 2023, Weibo Gaming faced off against NRG. The match ended exactly as it should have: absolute annihilation of the first team of America and an easy victory for Weio.
Next, Weibo played against G2 Esports, and this match was perhaps the most unexpected of all at Worlds 2023. G2 Esports outplayed their vis-a-vis in a mind-blowing series, thus sending Weibo to a 1-1 score. Spurred on by the loss from G2 Esports Weibo Ledgeili to host the stage in the form of KT Rolster.
Having hit the net 1-2 Weibo Gaming without any problems swatted MAD Lions, and after that went to play with another representative of the LEC - Fnatic. Weibo Gaming won the decisive match in the Swiss stage after falling behind by one card.
In the first round of play-offs WBG met NRG. The only team from the West only put up a fight on the first of the three maps played, but that wasn't even close to enough to give WBG problems.
In the semi-finals, Weibo met fellow vice-champions MSI 2023 Bibili Gaming. The LPL resident derby was one of the most colourful matches and ended on 5 maps with the score 3-2 in favour of WBG.
In the last match of last season WBG met T1 in the grand final of Worlds 2023. That match ended with a total beating of the Chinese club and T1's fourth win at the Worlds. And before the Long Sogpeg, LPL Spring 2024 had time to play at the local event of the Demacia Cup series, Demacia Cup 2023, where they reached the play-offs, but did not move further than the first round.
The group stage of LPL Spring 2024 Weibo played surprisingly poorly, as for a team of this status. WBG finished the LPL Spring 2024 regular season in seventh place, finishing 8-8. In the first round of play-offs Weibo shut out Invictus Gaming with a score of 3-2. Next up was a much tougher opponent in the form of LNG Esports and Weibo Gaming managed to handle them as well, finishing the match with a score of 3-2. However, the next match, and it was the game with JD Gaming, everything ended. As a result - top 6.
At LPL Summer 2024 WBG Long Competed from Group D, where they took the top 3 and went to the top grid of the Rumble Stage. Already it was 5-3, which allowed them to get straight into the 3rd round of play-offs. There they handled NiP, closing them out with a 3-1 score. However, next was the match with BLG and there WBG were beaten 0-3. In the match for the top 3 Weibo Gaming defeated LNG in a very unexpected way to advance to the next round. LPL Summer 2024 also had a surprisingly strong performance in their match to advance to the grand finals, defeating TES 3-2. Unfortunately for WBG fans, the grand final ended quickly and irrevocably: 0-3 in favour of BLG and second place for WBG.
The most popular champions in Weibo Gaming peaks
Weibo Gaming is not known for its diversity in the top line up. TheShy plays KSante (10 games, 8 wins), Gnar (6 matches, 50% wins). Sion (2 matches, 100% wins) and Renekton (2 matches, 50% wins) make rare appearances.
The ubiquitous Maokai is ignored in the forest (appeared only once and lost). But Vi (6 games, 100% wins), Elise (6 games, 60% wins), Sejuani (4 games, 75% wins) get quite a lot of attention.
The centre line is occupied by Syndra (7 games, 85% wins), Ryze (4 games, 0% wins), Talliyah (3 games, 66% wins).
From shooters like Lucian (5 matches, 80% wins), Varus (4 games, 75% wins), Zeri, Sivir and Caitlyn appeared 3 times each and only Sivir didn't win a single game.
Sapports: Nami (7 matches, 85% wins), Ashe (4 matches, 50% wins), Yummi (3 matches, 33% wins).
History of head-to-head meetings WBG - LNG Esports
Previously, the teams have played each other several times in Chinese LPL matches. In the 2024 season they played each other 5 times, with LNG winning three times.
Predicted result of LNG Esports vs WBG at LPL Summer 2024
We should expect a spirited League of Legends from both sides in this match. LNG and WBG have already shown a great series in the play-offs of LPL Summer 2024, where they won Weibo by the smallest margin. I think it will be close this time too, but I will give the victory to LNG.
Bottom line: LNG wins.
