Categories: Games

MAD Lions KOI take down Team BDS and qualify for LEC Winter Split 2024 Grand Finals

The LEC Winter Split 2024 playoffs continued on Saturday February 17 with the Losers Bracket Final and Bo5 between Team BDS and MAD Lions KOI. At the end of a highly competitive meeting played over 5 games, the Spanish team prevailed, thus qualifying for the grand final against G2 Esports and placing in the top 2.

G2 Esports now knows its opponent

The 2024 LEC Winter Split playoff saga comes to a head with the Losers Bracket Final, a key showdown between MAD Lions KOI and Team BDS. After an impressive performance against Fnatic, where MAD Lions KOI took a clear 3-2 victory, the Spanish team is set to face Team BDS in the decisive Bo5. The winner of this game will have the honor of facing G2 Esports in the Grand Finals, for one last chance to claim the title. For the losers, however, a third-place finish would only end the tour as consolation. For both, it’s a chance to showcase their strategy, talent and teamwork in one of the most important battles of their journey.

MAD Lions KOI, despite a rough start to the playoffs, quickly reversed the trend in the losers bracket. Their journey since then has shown remarkable resilience and the ability to dominate their opponents, perfectly reflecting the team’s stunning evolution since the start of the season. Comprised mainly of rookies, MAD Lions KOI has shown that he does not give in to pressure and is willing to do anything to achieve his objectives, although his tendency to engage in unnecessary team fights has sometimes cost him his advantage. Team BDS, for its part, started the playoffs with blazing energy, winning together against Team Heretics and Team Vitality. The team went through the competition with flying colors, until they faced G2 Esports. This 0-3 defeat not only ended their flawless run, but also sent them to the losers bracket. This weekend, Team BDS must face a new challenge, and must do so without Adam, replaced for some reason by their well-known toplaner, JNX. The absence of Adam, the central pillar of the team due to his consistent performances and influence on the game, could pose a major challenge in their quest for victory.

Game 1

In the first part of this series, the start of the game was marked by a mutual observation phase, with first blood captured early by BDS. This tech was followed by dominance during the first Dragon Contest, where BDS scored not only the objective, but also the extra kill. The MAD Lions responded effectively after one quarter of play, balancing the forces present during the new rivalry around the Dragons. As the game approached the 20 minute mark, the two teams engaged in a close battle, posting a close tie in terms of gold, with a slight advantage for BDS in terms of capturing the dragon. Despite some bot and top collisions, the game continued at a measured pace, with both teams favoring farming and taking vision, avoiding unnecessary risks.

However, at the 23rd minute, the first major team fight began in the midlane, which turned slightly to MAD’s advantage, although this did not secure the first Nashor. In the 25th minute, MAD managed to isolate and eliminate a BDS player who was too advanced, opening the way to capture Nashor, while BDS was content to secure the third dragon. The final encounter took place in the 31st minute, a decisive team fight completely mastered and won by MAD, closing out the first round in its favor.

Game 2

In the second round of this series, MAD Lions and BDS started with a quiet opening game similar to the first game. BDS captured the first dragon, while the MAD Lions drew first blood, indicating some initiative by the Spanish team during the lens phase. In the 12th minute, the MAD Lions emerged victorious in a decisive team fight around the Dragons, conceding two kills and the objective only one death. This success highlighted BDS’s difficulty in containing the momentum of the MAD Lions, who showed superior map control and the ability to take advantage of chaotic situations. The MAD Lions then took advantage of the confusion in the BDS ranks to speed up the game, demolishing the topplane until T3. However, the MAD two are killed in a poorly-judged botlane skirmish, forcing a temporary rethink of their advance plans.

With a 2k gold lead over 20 minutes into the game, MAD Lions widened the gap in the 23rd minute thanks to a strategically executed teamfight in the midlane, securing their first lead of the game. This cemented his dominance in the game. In the 28th minute, MAD Lions were once again crowned in the final team fight, cementing their victory in this second round, thus gaining a significant lead in the Bo5. With MAD landing the Lions series, BDS now finds itself in a position where every game is crucial to its survival in the series.

Game 3

In the third round of this Bo5, the atmosphere was charged with tension from the first moments, with the first match point in favor of MAD Lions KOI. The MAD Lions, buoyed by their confidence built from previous matches, faced the BDS team cautiously, but with determination, managing to capture both First Dragon and First Blood. After a quarter of an hour of play, BDS managed to effectively capitalize on the mistakes of the MAD Lions to build a small lead of 1k gold, who at times showed themselves to be too ambitious in their attempts to take control. On 20 minutes, BDS showed solid goal management despite the pressure, managing to maintain their lead in gold by getting another Dragon.

A long observation phase followed, during which BDS continued to consolidate its advantage by taking its third Dragon, disrupting the MAD Lions’ plans and preventing it from setting its strategy. The game finally swung in favor of BDS in the 30th minute, who not only officially secured Nashor, but also won a decisive team fight, paving the way for a more assured dominance. BDS continued their momentum, winning another important team fight for Sol, opening up a significant 7k gold gap. A final team fight in the 37th minute decided the fate of the match, with BDS emerging victorious, thus closing the gap in the series.

Game 4

The fourth round began with explosive energy, BDS quickly taking the initiative with first blood. From the start of the laning phase BDS extended their lead through a series of successful skirmishes, consolidating their position with additional kills. At 15 minutes, despite BDS’s early success, the golds gap had dwindled to almost even, with BDS maintaining a one-dragon advantage while MAD Lions secured all six Void Larvae. MAD Lions managed to make up for his slight delay by taking part in a successful fight in the boatside jungle, securing his first dragon and signaling a possible return to the game.

After the 20-minute mark, BDS made several positioning and movement errors on the map, which cost the Swiss team dearly. However, BDS quickly recovered, winning an important teamfight and securing Nashor, thus regaining the advantage in the game. Despite MAD Lions’ delays and efforts to get back into the game, BDS gained the upper hand in the final team fight in the midlane, using their formation effectively against MAD Lions who thought they were underpowered. The victory allowed BDS to win the round, tying the series and forcing a fifth and final deciding game.

Game 5

In this fifth and final round, the MAD Lions and BDS teams took an aggressive stance from the very first moments of the lane phase. Thanks to Elyoya’s remarkable performance in the jungle, MAD Lions quickly established a 1k gold lead just 8 minutes into the game, laying the foundation for a favorable momentum from the start. BDS, despite a less advantageous start to the game, was able to keep up the pressure, showing itself to be a threat by recovering neutral objectives and kills, thus keeping the game open and competitive. In the 23rd minute, after a period of play marked by mutual observation and exploration of tactical opportunities, the MAD Lions managed to recognize a key moment to secure the game’s first lead.

This capture began a methodical advance towards BDS’s base, with the MAD Lions beginning to increase their lead in terms of gold, gradually putting BDS on the defensive. In the 28th minute, the MAD Lions made a double incursion into the enemy base, increasing the pressure and forcing BDS into a desperate defense. Before the 30th minute, BDS made a final effort to team fight around the Dragons, hoping to turn the tide. However, the MAD Lions dominated the encounter, thanks to its superiority in team fighting and strong composition, achieving the decisive ACE. Buoyed by this team fight victory, the MAD Lions KOI quickly converged on the BDS Nexus, completing the destruction without much resistance.

The victory not only marks the end of a hotly contested series, but also MAD Lions KOI’s rise to the grand finals of this LEC Winter Split 2024 where they will face G2 Esports, Sunday February 18th at 5pm. MAD Lions KOI, with his team of 4 rookies, managed to get through the entire losers bracket to reach this final meeting that will decide the new European Champion.