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DWG KIA, T1, EDG, Gen.G: Who will advance to the LoL Worlds 2021 finals?

From left to right: Gen.G Esports' Kim
From left to right: Gen.G Esports' Kim "Clid" Tae-min, T1's Lee "Faker" Sang-hyeok, DAMWON Gaming KIA's Kim "Khan" Dong-ha, and EDward Gaming's Li "Flandre" Xuan-Jun. (Photos: LoL Esports/Riot Games)

The 2021 League of Legends World Championship semi-finals are fast approaching, with only four teams remaining in contention for the title.

The East has reigned supreme this year, with defending champions DAMWON Gaming KIA (DWG KIA), T1, EDward Gaming (EDG), and Gen.G Esports all competing for a spot in the grand finals and the chance to win this year's Summoner's Cup.

But which of these four contenders will survive to the final stage of the 2021 World Championship? Read on to know more about each team:

DAMWON Gaming KIA

(Photos: LoL Esports/Riot Games)
(Photos: LoL Esports/Riot Games)

DWG KIA have been the clear favourites to win their second-straight Summoner's Cup this season, and for good reason, as the defending champions remain undefeated at Worlds with nine-straight wins.

This team seems to have figured out LoL already, as they do not rely on a single player or lane all while adjusting their drafts and playstyle to whichever opponent they faced en route to easy wins.

In all their matches, DWG KIA seem to know the map like the backs of their hands and can effortlessly monitor their opponent's abilities, ults, and flashes. This makes it easier for them to advance toward enemy territory and make any comebacks if needed.

While the team look to add another Championship title under their belt, their top laner Kim "Khan" Dong-ha seeks to make this his first and last.

Khan has been stellar all season, placing pressure on the top lane and racking up 31.2% of his team's total damage. This is Khan's last chance to raise the Summoner's Cup, as he will be retiring after this season to join the mandatory military service in South Korea.

With DWG KIA's cunning approach and ability to pick apart any team, the defending champions are undoubtedly the favorites in their semi-final match against T1.

T1

(Photo: LoL Esports, Riot Games)
(Photo: LoL Esports, Riot Games)

T1, on the other hand, have only improved over the course of the tournament and looked stellar during the quarterfinals.

With an 8-1 standing thus far, they're now the team with the potential to hand DWG KIA their first loss this season and deny them their second-straight Summoner's Cup.

While many understandably doubt their ability to do so, given their lacklustre performance in the 2021 LCK Spring Finals, this team are looking different. After all, this is T1 at Worlds.

Lee "Faker" Sang-hyeok is out to prove why he is the GOAT of LoL and grab a third Summoner's Cup for himself.

But, while all eyes have rightfully been on Faker, he isn't solo carrying his team this time around. Flanking the Unkillable Demon King are the two players with the highest KDA records this year: Lee "Gumayusi" Min-hyeong at 22.3 and Ryu "Keria" Min-seok at 18.4.

T1 are powerhouse to be sure, but they are underdogs against DWG KIA. But if there is one team that can upset the defending champions and deny them another Summoner's Cup, it will be Faker and T1.

EDward Gaming

(Photo: LoL Esports, Riot Games)
(Photo: LoL Esports, Riot Games)

With a solid 7-4 record, EDG are gunning to retake the Summoner's Cup for the LPL region in a historic year for the organisation.

This is their first time in six tries to qualify for the semi-finals at Worlds, and as the only non-LCK team left, they will surely be looking to make the most of this chance.

While EDG had a lot of shining moments during the Group Stage, they were almost pushed to the brink by fellow Chinese team Royal Never Give Up for a spot at the semis. Historically, this team's strategy has been geared towards lane dominance, mainly relying on their bottom lane to pull them through.

However, the team's solo laners have recently stepped up, allowing them to be more flexible in taking map objectives and winning against their opponent.

EDG also showed flexibility in their drafts, especially with picks against RNG in the quarterfinals. With all these in mind, EDG are looking like they have the edge over Gen.G in the semi-finals.

Gen.G Esports

(Photos: LoL Esports/Riot Games)
(Photos: LoL Esports/Riot Games)

Gen.G had a very shaky journey to the semis. While they did win against C9 in a 3-0 sweep at the quarterfinals, there are a lot of things that the South Korean team would need to adjust to beat EDG.

The team are known for their reliance on passive scaling, leading to a lot of their games being decided in tense marathons.

Of course, their penchant for taking things late could be a problem if their opponents were able to overwhelm them with pressure early on. And, with a limited pool of champions, they may also have some issues responding to more unconventional picks.

However, while Gen. G's playstyle are predictable, they still execute that strategy very well. Late game comebacks aren't new to this team, so if they outsmart EDG with what they specialize in, they may still have a chance to make it through.

DWG KIA will kick off the semi-finals against Faker and T1 on Saturday (30 October). The showdown between EDG and Gen.G will follow on Sunday (31 October). Each game will be a best-of-five series, with the victors facing off in one last best-of-five match for the Summoner's Cup on 6 November.

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