Worlds 2022 Play-in Qualifier 2: RNG Defeats DFM & Gears up for Groups

The Play-in stage of Worlds 2022 came to a close on 4th October with two surprising best-of-five (BO5) series. With this, four teams have advanced to the Group Stage of the tournament to join the other 12 teams. Evil Geniuses took down Europe’s fourth seed MAD Lions in a historic 3-0 and punched its ticket to groups. Following this, China’s Royal Never Give Up (RNG) took on DetonatioN FocusMe (DFM). The League of Legends Japan League (LJL) team looked like the giant slayer in the first game of the series, but RNG bounced back and closed out the series with a 3-1 scoreline. Now, the reigning Mid-Season Invitational (MSI) champion has made its way to the Worlds 2022 Group Stage.

RNG vs DFM at Worlds 2022: Recap

Fans of League of Legends esports were quick to point out how this series between the top-dog RNG and the Japanese team was closer than the North America vs Europe battle that happened earlier in the day. Though DFM lost to RNG at the end of the series, the team gave it its all and took away a game from the League of Legends Pro League (LPL) seed.

The first game saw an interesting snowball team comp from DFM with Kennen on top, tank Yone in the mid-lane, and Tristana as the carry. Despite getting ganked early on,  Shunsuke “Evi” Murase, turned up big with good Kennen ultimates. To RNG’s surprise, DFM’s attack damage carry (ADC) Yuta “Yutapon” Sugiura got ahead in the mid game and the LJL team also collected the Hextech dragon soul.

As RNG failed to tackle two tanks with Leona and Yone in its face, the team had poorly executed team fights and skirmishes that allowed DFM to snowball its lead. RNG secured the Baron but its members fell like dominoes, making the trade a poor one as DFM closed out the game in 37 minutes.

The second game of the BO5 series started off similarly with DFM locking in the same Kennen and Yone. Following the 15-minute mark, DFM had a comfortable 3K gold lead but fifteen minutes later, RNG took control of the game, pushing its vision and securing objectives and kills wherever it could find. After the second Baron Nashor was secured by RNG, it was practically game over for DFM.

RNG respected DFM’s ability to make plays with Yone and Kennen and banned both the champions going into Game 3. RNG also locked in the infamous Lucian - Nami bot lane against a Sivir and Yuumi. The Chinese squad looked invincible as it secured kills left and right and also knocked down multiple towers of DFM. RNG secured both Baron Nashor and the dragon soul and closed out the game in 35 minutes.

RNG ran away with the last game of the series as Yan “Wei” Yang-Wei came out ahead as the Viego. Ten minutes into the fourth game, RNG had seven kills against DFM’s zero and got itself a 3K gold lead. At 24 minutes, RNG secured the dragon soul, turned to Baron Nashor and ended the game soon after.

Following this victory against DFM, RNG was seeded into Group D at Worlds 2022 Group Stage alongside GEN.G, CTBC Flying Oyster, and 100 Thieves.  Stay updated with the tournament by heading on to Worlds 2022 Group Stage: Teams, Groups, Schedule & More.