Buzz
What are the strengths of the upcoming opponents for SGB, aside from T1?
Riot has positioned Saigon Buffalo in seed group 2; while there's a chance to advance, their opponents are not easily defeated.
After a two-year absence from the international stage, the VCS region is still highly regarded and seeded in group 2 by Riot. This helps SGB avoid strong contenders like PSG Talon (PCS) and Evil Geniuses (LCS).
With the recently announced draw results, SGB is in Group A alongside T1, DetonatioN FocusMe (LJL), and Team Aze (LLA). Besides T1 securing a spot, Ren and his team will compete for the remaining slot against representatives from Japan and Latin America.
Representative from LJL - DetonatioN FocusMe
DFM, a well-known team in the Wildcard group over the past years, has consistently dominated the domestic scene in Japan, becoming a familiar face in international tournaments. In 2021, DFM made a strong impression at the Worlds 2021 Play-Ins, ranking above Cloud9 and securing a direct entry into the group stage.
However, at present, DFM's brightest star, Mid Laner Aria, has returned to LCK for competition. Therefore, the strength of the Japanese representative is considered somewhat diminished, despite the addition of two other Korean imports.
DFM's two newcomers this season are relatively young players with previous experience in LCK. For Support Harp, this player participated in 21 matches for KT Rolster in LCK Summer 2021. Meanwhile, Mid Laner Yaharong appeared in 12 games for Fredit BRION in LCK. Yaharong also contributed to BRO's 2-0 victory over T1 in LCK Spring 2021, a time when T1 was restructuring its roster, and Faker was not playing.
The remaining Korean player for DFM is Steal, who has played long enough to become a veteran alongside Evi in the Top Lane and Yutapon as the ADC. Communication may still be a disadvantage for this team compared to SGB. However, with many players with international experience and young talents from LCK, they can be a formidable opponent for SGB's relatively young lineup at any time.
Representative from Latin America - Team Aze
The remaining team in this group is a relatively unfamiliar name, AZE. In LLA Spring 2021, this team finished 2nd with a record of 9 wins, 5 losses, trailing far behind Rainbow7 by 4 points. However, R7's unexpected stumble in the playoffs gave AZE a favorable opportunity to become champions and advance to MSI 2022 without directly defeating this formidable opponent.
Notably, AZE also boasts a roster of imports from Korea. Top Laner Lonely, a former young talent from Gen.G Esports and previously a substitute for Summit at Liiv SANDBOX, has yet to debut in LCK.
ADC 5kid made a lasting impression with 15 matches for KT Rolster in LCK Summer 2021. Additionally, this 1999-born player often paired with Harp, DFM's current Support. Thus, their reunion at MSI 2022 is truly a memorable moment for the former KT Bottom Lane duo.
With 5 players from 4 different nationalities, language diversity is inevitable for Aze. Moreover, these players lack international experience, making them the least favored in this group.
SGB has the youngest average age at MSI 2022. However, Ren's squad holds an advantage in team cohesion built over 3 seasons. Even the newest addition, Shogun, has spent 2 seasons with this lineup. Therefore, barring unexpected setbacks and psychological issues, considering the power dynamics with the other two teams in the group (excluding T1), SGB has a real chance to secure a spot in the top 6 of MSI 2022.
