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We continue to traverse the competitive scene in China. Demacia Cup 2024 is in full swing there, where the play-offs stage of the tournament is getting ready for the Long Segment.
The play-offs, aka the main stage, differs from the group stage not only in format, but also in the participants. In the play-offs the top teams of China, including Bilibili Gaming, Weibo and others, enter the battle. We talk about the latter in this betting thread on Weibo Gaming vs EDward Gaming in the first round of the Demacia Cup 2024 play-offs.
We try to understand how the match will end and who will make it to the next round.
Let's go.
Weibo Gaming Form
Let's open the analysis of Weibo Gaming vs EDward Gaming match with an analysis of Weibo Gaming's form. In this match they are in the status of a clear favourite with odds to win at around 1.3.
Weibo Gaming can be called a newcomer to the LPL, as the club appeared on the Esports radar and big stage in 2021, and debuted in the LPL in 2022.
As a rookie, the results were very good. Weibo made the top 8 twice in 2022, finishing top 6 at LPL Spring 2022 and top 8 at LPL Summer 2022.
At the last tournament played before LPL Summer 2023, the previous LPL Spring 2023 split, the team again finished in the top 6. It's not surprising, as the club has a huge roster.
- Weibo Gaming roster: Breathe, Tian, Xiaohu, Light, Crisp.
Weibo Gaming very confidently entered the play-offs of the championship. In the group stage of LPL Summer 2023 the team played on the score 10-6, which allowed to take the sixth place.
Weibo's first opponent in the play-offs was Ninjas in Pyjamas, who made a great run through the group stage and then surprised in the play-offs, reaching the top 8. But obviously they couldn't win, with Weibo winning 3-1.
Weibo's next opponent in the LPL Summer 2023 play-offs was LNG Esports, who showed top flight performance in the regular season, reaching the top 2 of the league and almost beating JD Gaming in the finals. Nevertheless, it was Weibo LNG that LNG had to deal with in the play-offs, and that match ended with the score 2-3 not in favour of WG.
In the regional finals Weibo started their performance from the lower grid, where their opponent was TES. A willful 3-2 win was a key argument in favour of Weibo's advantage in this match.
Next up, Weibo played against EDG for a slot at Worlds 2023. WBG played quite a game and ended up shutting out EDward with a 3-1 score, earning a place at Worlds 2023.
In the opening match at Worlds 2023, Weibo Gaming faced off against NRG. The match ended exactly as it should have: absolute annihilation of the first team of America and an easy victory for Weio.
Next, Weibo played against G2 Esports, and this match was perhaps the most unexpected of all at Worlds 2023. G2 Esports outplayed their vis-a-vis in a mind-blowing series, thus sending Weibo to a 1-1 score. Spurred on by the loss from G2 Esports Weibo Ledgeili to host the stage in the form of KT Rolster.
Having hit the net 1-2 Weibo Gaming without any problems swatted MAD Lions, and after that went to play with another representative of the LEC - Fnatic. Weibo Gaming won the decisive match in the Swiss stage after falling behind by one card.
In the first round of play-offs WBG met NRG. The only team from the West only put up a fight on the first of the three maps played, but that wasn't even close to enough to give WBG problems.
In the semi-finals, Weibo met fellow vice-champions MSI 2023 Bibili Gaming. The LPL resident derby was one of the most colourful matches and ended on 5 maps with the score 3-2 in favour of WBG.
In the last match of last season WBG met T1 in the grand final of Worlds 2023. That match ended with a total beating of the Chinese club and T1's fourth win at the Worlds. And before the Long Sogpeg, LPL Spring 2024 had time to play at the local event of the Demacia Cup series, Demacia Cup 2023, where they reached the play-offs, but did not move further than the first round.
The group stage of LPL Spring 2024 Weibo played surprisingly poorly, as for a team of this status. WBG took seventh place in the LPL Spring 2024 regular season, finishing 8-8. In the first round of play-offs Weibo shut out Invictus Gaming with a score of 3-2. Next up was a much tougher opponent in the form of LNG Esports and Weibo Gaming managed to handle them as well, finishing the match with a score of 3-2. However, the next match, and it was the game with JD Gaming, everything ended. As a result - top 6.
At LPL Summer 2024 WBG Long Competed from Group D, where they took the top 3 and went to the top grid of the Rumble Stage. Already it was 5-3, which allowed them to get straight into the 3rd round of play-offs. There they handled NiP, closing them out with a 3-1 score. However, next was the match with BLG and there WBG were beaten 0-3. In the match for the top 3 Weibo Gaming defeated LNG in a very unexpected way to advance to the next round. LPL Summer 2024 also had a surprisingly strong performance in their match to advance to the grand finals, defeating TES 3-2. Unfortunately for WBG fans, the grand final ended quickly and irrevocably: 0-3 in favour of BLG and second place for WBG.
At Worlds 2024, last year's Worlds finalist advanced to the second place LPL Regional Finals 2024. Long Sogpeg's Worlds Championship was followed by a loss to Gen.G before beating Liquid. Next up was a loss to G2 Esports and a 1-2 setback. However, in the basket 1-2 WBG outplayed Fnatic, although Ledge beat them on the first map. With the score 2-1 they won in the next series, against DPlus KIA. WBG started the LoL Worlds 2024 playoffs with a match against their compatriots from LNG Esports and, being nominally outsiders, won 3-1. Weibo Gaming met Bilibili Gaming in their next match and that's where their Worlds 2024 journey ended.
Weibo Gaming's most popular champions in spades
Weibo Gaming is not known for diversity in the top line up. TheShy plays KSante (10 games, 8 wins), Gnar (6 matches, 50% wins). Sion (2 matches, 100% wins) and Renekton (2 matches, 50% wins) make rare appearances.
The ubiquitous Maokai is ignored in the forest (appeared only once and lost). But Vi (6 games, 100% wins), Elise (6 games, 60% wins), Sejuani (4 games, 75% wins) get quite a lot of attention.
The centre line is occupied by Syndra (7 games, 85% wins), Ryze (4 games, 0% wins), Talliyah (3 games, 66% wins).
From shooters like Lucian (5 matches, 80% wins), Varus (4 games, 75% wins), Zeri, Sivir and Caitlyn appeared 3 times each and only Sivir didn't win a single game.
Sapports: Nami (7 matches, 85% wins), Ashe (4 matches, 50% wins), Yummi (3 matches, 33% wins).
EDward Gaming uniforms
We continue the analysis of EDward Gaming vs Weibo Gaming match with the analysis of EDG's form. In this match, they play the number two with win odds around 4.
In 2022 EDG again made their way to the Worlds, but managed to finish "only" in the top 8. That's a strong showing for some, but not for EDG.
The last result of EDG was the top 3 at LPL Spring 2023. Then it was not enough to win one series to qualify for the Mid-Season Invitational 2023.
- EDG roster: Zdz, Xiaohao, Angel, Assum, Wink.
At LPL Summer 2023, the team played within their capabilities. First, in the group stage, they finished top 8, which was enough to qualify for the play-offs. In the main stage, EDG beat Team WE 3-1, and then beat OMG, beating the much-talked-about team 3-2. Only TES were able to overcome EDG's pressure, winning 3-2 in the quarter-finals.
Before Long Corner at LPL Spring 2024, the team played in a number of third-party TIR-2 championships. This was the Esports Shanghai Masters 2023, where EDG defeated Gen.G in the grand final (but they played academic squads, which is not surprising).
EDG later played at NEST 2023. The successes there were much more modest: EDG did not make it out of the group stage, while playing it with a score of 3-0 (they withdrew from the tournament).
The last tournament before LPL Spring 2024 for EDG was the Demacia Cup 2023. There, the once super titular team of China and the world grazed the back of the pack: they lost all matches in the group stage and left the championship on top-17-20.
At LPL Spring 2024, the team played abysmally: 3-13 in the group stage and TOP-16 at the end of the tournament. It was a little better at LPL Summer 2024, where the team took TOP-14, but it is certainly not a good result.
At Demacia Cup 2024, the team went 3-0 through Group A.
EDward Gaming's most popular champions
Edward Gaming has a very extensive pool of champions in the top line. Fiora, Sion, Kenen and Renekton appeared 3 times each, of which the first two won 2 matches each, but Kenen and Renekton took all their games. Jayce, KSante, Camile, Jax and Gnar appeared 2 times each (Jax won both matches, the others 1-1).
Things are much less varied in the metha dictated forest. The most pickable character is Maokai (7 games, 100% wins). Next are Vi (5 games, 80% wins) and Sejuani and Wukong (4 games each, 50% wins).
The centre line doesn't shine with variety either. The same popular Azir (6 games, 50% wins), Jayce (6 games, 83% wins), Akali (5 games, 80% wins).
In bot - Zeri (7 matches, 100% wins), Lucian (4 matches, 50% wins), Caitlyn (100% wins in 3 matches), Jhin (3 games, 66% wins).
The situation is as follows: Nami, Ashe, Yummi have 4 games each with 2 wins for the first, 3 for the second and perfect winrate for the third. Then come Heim (3 games, 66% wins) and Annie (3 games, 100% wins).
History of head-to-head meetings EDG - Weibo Gaming
Previously, the teams played in the LPL Spring 2024 and then WBG won, but the teams also played in other teams.
Predicted result of the match Weibo Gaming - EDward Gaming at Demacia Cup 2024
In this match my bet will be on Weibo Gaming. Despite the positive result of EDG in the group stage, I think WBG will not leave a chance if they play in the roster, which is announced.
Bottom line: WBG win.
