Kanavi faces criticism! TES has only beaten G2 in BO5 matches against foreign teams this year! LPL has lost all eight BO5 series against LCK.

TES lost 0-3 to T1 in the S15 World Championship semifinals, stopping at the top four. While many anticipated TES’s defeat, the fact they were utterly powerless and dominated in all three games caused major debate.

Initially, TES’s official account was flooded with criticism, with numerous fans harshly targeting jungler Kanavi: "He’s not a Korean import, he’s just pretending!" He went wild throughout the whole BO5, even attempting to kill Draven’s head! Some fans expressed sympathy for JKL: "He played well in this match and gave his all; hope he rests well and we see him next year!" Others bluntly said: "The top, mid, and AD played well, but the rest performed poorly."

LPL official commentators Wang Duoduo, Rita, and guest Zhang Boheng also discussed TES’s loss. They said: "Before the match, we might have anticipated T1’s strength but still held hopes for TES. This game and the scoreline woke us up; the gap was clearly big. T1 completely prevented TES from executing their planned strategies. It’s unfortunate but the difference is undeniable. From a lineup perspective, TES’s third game had the most promising composition, but T1 had many counters, like the strongest top laner Sion this patch and Pantheon, which counters TES’s lineup well. TES’s third game draft improved, yet T1 still had answers. Simply put, the first two drafts dug too deep a hole, making the third game difficult and easy for T1 to target."

After this match, both TES and T1 set new records. T1 continues its undefeated streak against LPL teams in BO5 matches at the World Championship. Regardless of roster changes or T1’s strength this year, on the world stage against LPL teams, T1 always finds a way to win.

Meanwhile, TES maintains an undefeated record against LCK teams this year, not dropping a single game. This year in BO5 international matches, TES only defeated G2. However, this isn’t solely TES’s fault; across all international tournaments this year, LPL teams have failed to win any BO5 against LCK teams. No matter which LPL or LCK team it was, LPL has suffered eight consecutive defeats. This highlights the growing gap between the regions.

This year, LPL was once again eliminated early from the World Championship, and the promise of domestic glory was broken once more, which is extremely disappointing. One reason is the lack of outstanding new talent. Since S13 until now, hardly any remarkable rookies have emerged. Veteran players inevitably decline with age, which partly explains why competing against European and North American teams sometimes feels so exhausting. It’s not that those regions have gotten stronger; it’s that we have declined. The darkest times continue—will there be a chance for a turnaround in the future?

So, what are your thoughts on this match? Feel free to share and discuss in the comments section.