T1 defeat HLE to secure second place in the Legend Group — LCK 2025 Round 3–5

A very important match of the day: T1 vs Hanwha Life Esports. Both teams came in with an identical 19-9 record, and with just one week left — besides this game, each had only one match remaining to determine their playoff standing.

Game 1 Picks:

• T1: Rumble, Wukong, Galio, Sivir, Poppy
• Hanwha Life Esports: Ambessa, Vi, Annie, Varus, Nautilus

Game 2 Picks:

• T1: Jax, Skarner, Ryze, Corki, Rakan
• Hanwha Life Esports: Gwen, Xin Zhao, Taliyah, Ezreal, Alistar

Game 3 Picks:

• T1: Renekton, Nocturn, Orianna, Lucian, Bard
• Hanwha Life Esports: Ornn, Jarvan IV, Akali, Jhin, Rell

Game 1

The first game was completely dominated by T1 from start to finish. Excellent macro and, of course, micro play. Winning lanes and total map control. T1 secured every single objective except the first two drakes and kept snowballing their lead. The final fight came around Baron, where T1 were outnumbered. HLE’s decision was very logical – to win the fight while T1’s ADC was absent. But by that point, the remaining four players were already strong enough to confidently take a 4v5 and still come out on top. The result: an ACE for T1 and a slain Baron. 1–0 for T1 as the series moved to Game 2.

Game 2

The second game initially went in T1’s favor. They moved around the map well, zoned HLE, and secured objectives. They won several good fights and played with discipline. It looked like the game was already theirs — with two inhibitors down and the Mountain Dragon Soul in hand. However, HLE, in their signature fashion, managed to stall and wait for the perfect moment. Catching out Jax, they killed Baron and managed to close out a game that seemed completely lost.

Game 3

The third game was a delight for T1 fans. The team executed beautifully, with Keria shining on his signature Bard. Time after time, he cut off HLE’s champions with Tempered Fate, preventing them from pulling off combos, while also saving his teammates with the same ultimate. Doran and Faker also deserve praise for their strong synergy and well-coordinated plays. HLE’s draft wasn’t bad, but it fell apart against the clean execution of T1’s players on their comfort picks. 2–1 to T1.

Keria once again picked up MVP — and very deservedly so. Few supports bring as much impact as he does, and right now he has the most MVP points among supports, even surpassing many players in other roles. His stats for the series: Poppy 0/1/20, Rakan 1/2/19, Bard 2/1/16. After this match, Keria also reached 5,502 career assists in the LCK, placing him 4th all-time.

This victory lifts T1 to second place with a 20–9 record, while HLE drop to third with 19–10. With only one match left for each team, the battle for playoff seeding is heating up. And honestly, HLE might have the easier path — they face NS RedForce, while T1 will go up against the current No. 1 team in Korea and the world: Gen.G.

LCK Summer 2025 Round 3–5 is scheduled from July 23 to August 31. This stage will determine which teams advance directly to the LCK Playoffs and which will have to battle through the Play-In. With a prize pool of ₩562,500,000 KRW (around $407,919 USD), the competition is fierce — but more importantly, the top three teams will qualify for the 2025 World Championship. With so much on the line, every team is pushing for glory. Be sure to follow the LoL News page for all the latest updates from the League of Legends esports scene.