Team Liquid vs Fnatic MSI 2024 Bracket Stage Recap

Regional rivals rocked the MSI 2024 stage in a struggle for supremacy that placed the hopes of the LEC and LCS in the balance. Team Liquid vs Fnatic.

Team Liquid vs Fnatic kicked off the lower bracket, where MSI hopefuls fought to stay in the game.

The day saw a lot of safe team comps and surprising turnarounds, especially from the side of Team Liquid. The LCS roster had some confident answers to Fnatic’s aggression. But yesterday’s matches set a new meta, and new champs were about to take center stage.

Team Liquid vs Fnatic MSI 2024 Recap
Game 1

Credit: Screenshot by Paul Gono/ESTNN
Both teams were evenly matched in the draft, with most of the power centered around botlane, and mage midlaners that would come to assist.

APA quickly caught Fnatic’s jungler off-guard, taking first blood. Because Humanoid reset, their midlane was more vulnerable because of the experience gap. But the LEC #2 seed still had a marginal gold lead due to better cs.

The entirety of the midgame was a constant back-and-forth on the sidelanes. Fnatic’s comp had enough mobility & CC to get out of Impact’s range, and their toplaner had enough sustain to be a menace. Meanwhile, most drakes went to TL thanks to UmTi, but still couldn’t surpass Fnatic’s gold score.

Kaenic Rookern was the right play as TL’s K’Sante became a powerhouse that got his team more leads. Without an effective way to lock down the toplaner (and isolate Yeon), The NA reps controlled the rest of the fights until they found the first match point. Game one goes to Team Liquid.

Quick Stats:

Teams: Fnatic 0 – 1 Team Liquid
Game Time: 30:05
Gold: 49.5k – 59.5k
Kills: 8 – 21 (First Blood)
Turrets: 2 – 10 (First Turret)
Dragons: o – 3
Barons: o – o

Game 2

Credit: Screenshot by Paul Gono/ESTNN
The Lee Sin-Ahri was going to be extremely dangerous, but Fnatic had more tools to deal with the hyper-scaling K’Sante now. But their success hinged on Fnatic’s botlane duo.

Fnatic scaled well and gave them more teamfight possibilities, but Team Liquid had a stronger focus on picks. The game stayed close 15 minutes in. And both teams shifted focus towards towers when they couldn’t win a skirmish.

Despite questionable plays, Humanoid and co. exercised total control on the jungle camps. After setting up for Baron, they took another drake before going in for the final siege of the match. Fnatic strikes back in Game two.

Quick Stats:

Teams: Fnatic 1 – 1 Team Liquid
Game Time: 26:46
Gold: 54.8k – 42.1k
Kills: (First Blood) 14 – 6
Turrets: (First Turret) 9 – 2
Dragons: 2 – 2
Barons: 1 – o

Game 3

Credit: Screenshot by Paul Gono/ESTNN
A lightning fast 1-for-1 set the tone for match three as both teams seemed evenly matched in the laning phase.

Noah secured a big lead early on with Kalista kills on bot, but ended up expending a lot of summoner spells. TL were quick to capitalize, putting them 2 kills above Fnatic 10 minutes in.

As a result, Humanoid and co. played defensively to prevent a snowball. But Team Liquid’s scaling on top of full lethality Varus poised the LCS reps for their eventual success. Team Liquid reaches series point in Game three.

Quick Stats:

Teams: Team Liquid 2 – 1 Fnatic
Game Time: 29:33
Gold: 58.8k – 46.3k
Kills: (First Blood) 20 – 9
Turrets: (First Turret) 1o – 1
Dragons: 2 – 2
Barons: 1 – o

Game 4

Credit: Screenshot by Paul Gono/ESTNN
Team Liquid needed to secure the series at any cost, even if it meant a double-tank AD comp.

Impact stood strong during Fnatic’s team dive on top, which fell apart after TL UmTi kept the wave. Noah stayed persistent for first blood, but it ended in a cross-map 1-for-1.

Both teams put so much pressure in extended teamfights, but Fnatic’s topside was overloaded. TL on the other hand hesitated to step-up. But UmTi covered his team at every corner. And after some scraps near Baron pit, APA made the play of the series that let Liquid’s rookie carry Sean “Yeon” Sung rack up the kills.

With a solid lead, CoreJJ used Aqua Prison to put a stop to Oscarinin at every corner. And killing Nashor let the LCS reps split push to victory in a stunning series ender that put NA’s first seed in a domineering position in MSI 2024’s bracket stage. Series win goes to Team Liquid.

Quick Stats:

Teams: Team Liquid 3 – 1 Fnatic
Game Time: 28:35
Gold: 47.3k – 55.2k
Kills: (First Blood) 6 – 17
Turrets: (First Turret) 3 – 1o
Dragons: 1 – 3
Barons: 1 – o

After their loss, @FNATIC are eliminated from #MSI2024. pic.twitter.com/CdlPaV99Nu

— LoL Esports (@lolesports) May 11, 2024

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Paul started writing game guides and match predictions for ESTNN’s editorial team in 2022. Since then, he’s covered big-ticket esports events and the latest news on tech and AI.