G2 win first LAN event in 5 years in front of NA Crowd in Los Angeles
After two best-of-7 series, G2 Esports defeated Team Queso to win the RLCS Winter Major 2022 and also secure the highest RLCS points in all regions. They are currently sitting at 2663 slightly above BDS' 2532.
This win makes it G2's first LAN event victory since 2017. G2 had a strong start to the RCLS Winter Major with a first-place finish in groups and wins in the upper bracket finals and semifinals. The team also earn 701 points to add to their World Championship qualification tally.
Although Queso forced G2 to the bracket reset, they were still able to finish the job in the second series. "We are one the hardest practicing teams so [the mental] was kind of built-in and instilled in them already," G2's coach Matthew "Satthew" Ackermann said after the game. "There's not much more to be said, we do this every day in scrims."
The last series between G2 and Queso was close until Massimo "Atomic" Franceschi took firm control of the game. He scored a hattrick in the last game to end the series and clinch the win for G2.
The player earned the Fall Major MVP title and talked more about the teams' synergy in the post-game interview.
"With these guys, you really can talk through anything. The second we got here we'd go into practice and actually have meaningful practice and talk about how to beat certain teams"
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Team Queso shine in first-ever LAN despite loss
Despite being very young players with no LAN experience, Queso did not let this factor faze them at all. In fact, their confidence remained high as they fought their way through the lower brackets. After winning the second lower round against Evil Geniuses, the European champions were set to face either G2 or Furia. However, this did not bother them as Queso's Finlay "rise." Ferguson said, "I think we beat whoever, I'm confident".
The team went on to beat Furia and FazeClan to make it to the loser semi-finals against SSG. After a tense back and forth semifinals between both teams, Queso managed to edge out with a 2-1 win and a miraculous last-minute save from Rise. "I knew he'd save it, he does it all the time it's a free save", Joe "Joyo" Young said in the post-game interview.
While Queso had completed the lower bracket run, they still had to face G2 in the finals. The task seemed difficult given that they needed to win the first best of 7 series for a bracket reset. Nonetheless, they passed the test and forced G2 to one more series.
Despite the loss in the last series, Team Queso played with confidence and never learnt the chants of the North American crowd stop them.
World Championship in Texas
The RLCS Winter Major revealed that the 2022 World Championship will take place in the Dickies Arena Dallas, Texas. The event will begin with the Wildcard stage from August 4 to 7 while the group and playoff stages hold from August 9 to 14.
Additionally, the RLCS Spring Major will return to the Copper Box Arena in London, England. The RLCS Spring Major is set to kick off on June 29 with the grand finals scheduled for July 3.
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