CFO vs KC at the First Stand 2025 semi-final: A miracle to happen

It was hard to predict the real potential of CTBC Flying Oyster in the LoL First Stand 2025 before the tournament really started. The team succeeded in a freshly formed League of Legends Championship Pacific (LCP), and the players had to prove themselves on the international scene. Now we know for sure — CFO is one of the strongest teams in the world! They defeated three of four opponents in the Round Robin stage.

Karmine Corp is also a somewhat obscure power. G2 or Fnatic represented LoL EMEA Championship (LEC) for many previous tournaments. KC destroyed those opponents at the LEC Winter 2025 to play at the First Stand 2025. But what are they really capable of internationally?

The start of this event was harsh for Karmine Corp. They lost three matches, but two other teams had the same result. Only thanks to the game score and direct match results did KC qualify for the League of Legends First Stand Playoffs.

If CTBC Flying Oyster wins this match, it’s a team from a former minor region that reaches the top 2 at the newest LoL international — at least the top 2. Sounds like a nice miracle to happen.

For Karmine Corp, this potential win is a true miracle of recovery and unleashing their true power for the new competitive page. Could this reset for KC and the EU community become real?

The official LoL Esports YouTube channel broadcasts all the First Stand matches. You can watch the FST 2025 semi-final between CTBC Flying Oyster and Karmine Corp right here, as the stream is embedded below.

It’s the first match at the League of Legends esports event FST where the fearless draft system may shine with all its unpredictable power. The semi-final between Karmine Corp and CTBC Flying Oyster is best-of-five, and some really surprising picks can occur in later games.

The CFO vs KC First Stand 2025 semi-final was such a rollercoaster of emotions! Karmine Corp won two first games and looked suddenly super powerful. That was especially true for game 2, where the EU team totally destroyed their opponents

Things weren’t so bright in games 3 and 4. CTBC Flying Oyster struck back with their full strength. Team fights went so well for them! CFO made their fans believe in a reverse sweep.

However, this was the point for Karmine Corp to bounce back. They demonstrated their special skill of proper positioning around objective fights. KC earned kills early to secure Dragons and Baron. Game 5 was still super intense, but Karmine Corp won it after the third Ace.

It is the first time in five years a LEC team advances to an international final. Well done, Karmine Corp!

CTBC Flying Oyster were true heroes of the Round Robin stage, and their semi-final efforts are admirable. It will be interesting to follow the team in their LCP matches and potentially at the MSI 2025.

A decent gank on the Bot lane let CFO earn an early kill. Karmine Corp took the first Dragon and stole three Voidgrubs from Flying Oysters — without real fights.

The early game was extremely close and could go both ways. When KC secured the second Dragon, it looked like a start to their advantage. CFO responded with Herald and some effective pressuring moves, but Karmine Corp got themselves the third Dragon without losing a man.

CTBC Flying Oyster let KC take Atakhan while they were pushing through the Top lane: two turrets destroyed. When the next Dragon was available, Karmine Corp players positioned themselves so well that they secured the Soul and killed a few opponents.

Before taking Baron for the final push, KC attacked opponents and earned two kills. The buff was on the Karmine Corp side. KC destroyed two outer turrets, and took the Elder Dragon with Baron. The fall of all Inhibitors, and Ace, and the destruction of CFO’s Nexus was a logical conclusion of this game.

Karmine Crop started the game amazingly well: the First Blood, the first Dragon, and a few kills around that fight. CFO took three first Voidgrubs and pressured nicely on the lanes.

KC got a couple more kills and the second pack of Voidgrubs. And then the game fell apart for CTBC Flying Oyster. At around minute 15, Karmine Corp were ahead in terms of kills: nine to zero. The number reached 14 to zero at minute 22. The gold difference was 10k in favor of KC. It did not go up for CFO from here.

With the Nexus destroyed, Karmine Corp is one game away from the LoL First Stand 2025 final.

CFO earned the First Blood 90 seconds into the game. Yike helped his team make the kill score even, though.

CTBC Flying Oyster had a very tough but still successful fight on the Bot lane, and after it, they started getting random kills all over the map. However, a fight around the second set of Voidgrubs did not go CFO’s way. KC got four creatures and two kills — to nothing.

When CTBC Flying Oyster won a Dragon fight, KC simply killed four opponents to still be ahead in this game. CFO weren’t out yet, as they earned some crucial kills on the Bottom lane.

Karmine Corp secured a Dragon, but they overstepped slightly, lost their Jungler, and gave Atakhan to CFO for free. From an even game at around minute 22, CFO started looking stronger at team fights and better at positioning.

After killing Yike once again, CTBC Flying Oyster took Baron and a Dragon. With the buff on their side, CFO destroyed two Inhibitors and one Nexus turret. They returned back quickly, after a desperate attack from KC.

CTBC Flying Oyster is still alive in the First Stand 2025 semi-final. Can it be the start of a full reverse sweep for them?

CFO earned the first Dragon and the First Kill pretty early. Karmine Corp killed the second Dragon, but that was a trade with CTBC Flying Oyster for six Voidgrubs.

CFO delivered some good kills. KC destroyed a couple of turrets. 

Team fights were the best card of CFO in this game. They managed to catch opponents with devastating combos. After one of such wins, they secured Atakhan, got an Ocean Soul, and established perfect control over Summoner’s Rift.

CTBC Flying Oyster started their siege and brought this match vs Karmine Corp to the final game.

Three for three Voidgrubs and one Drake on each team — that was an even early game. CFO lost Rift Herald but delivered two kills to secure the Dragon.

With Herald, Karmine Corp took two turrets on the Top Lane and lost two lives. That was a good distraction to secure Atakhan. When the next Dragon fight occurred, Karmine Corp found absolutely great positioning! They initiated a fight with a quick kill and earned an Ace. 

To claim a Dragon Soul, CFO gambled by going for Baron first. Karmine did not buy that — one of the KC players took the Dragon, and the rest forced CFO out of the Baron pit and earned another Ace.

With the Baron buff, KC started a siege, but CFO were so good at defense that they killed two opponents. 

To stop a Dragon Soul for CFO, KC sacrificed their AD Carry. Both teams were on a Soul point now. To find a proper approach to the next big objective fight, CFO and KC were aggressively dancing on the Mid lane. Once again, KC players were better with their positioning, and they earned one more Ace — to destroy the Nexus and win this First Stand 2025 semi-final.

The losers of this match are out of the tournament. The First Stand format is unforgiving! However, the next regional championship is right around the corner. Both Karmine Corp and CTBC Flying Oyster can fight for another international miracle — at the Mid-Season Invitational 2025. It happens from June 27 to July 12.

The winners face their last opponents in the FST 2025 final. This can be Hanwha Life or Top Esports that have a match in the parallel bracket.

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