The Mid Season Invitational twenty twenty five is already living up to its unpredictable reputation as the Play In Stage opened in Vancouver with intense clashes, emotional highs, and dominant performances. Day one featured two very different best of five series, but both set the tone for a thrilling tournament. G2 Esports narrowly escaped a scare from FURIA, while Bilibili Gaming delivered a crushing sweep against GAM Esports, proving once again that international pressure and pedigree still matter in high stakes League of Legends.
G2 Esports entered the MSI Play In Stage with expectations of a clean start. Representing EMEA, they were heavily favored against FURIA from South Latin America, a team making their international debut at this level. But from the moment the series began, FURIA flipped the script. With a daring draft and aggressive laning, they caught G2 completely off guard and stormed through the opening game in just under thirty minutes. Guigo’s Aatrox dismantled the top lane while BrokenBlade’s Warwick fell flat, signaling a serious misread from G2’s side.
That early loss forced G2 to reassess. Game two showed signs of composure as the EMEA veterans pulled together. BrokenBlade bounced back using Jax to control side lanes while Caps led team fights with Corki. Hans Sama’s Varus provided stability, and G2 tied the series with measured execution. By game three, G2 looked to be in full control until Guigo’s Sion landed a highlight reel quadra kill, nearly turning the tides. Still, G2 closed it out, pushing the series to 2 to 1.
But FURIA was not done yet. In game four, the Brazilian side read G2’s tendencies perfectly. They punished overextensions, controlled vision, and executed crisp map rotations that pulled the series to a fifth game. With the match tied, it all came down to one last battle of nerves. And in that final map, G2 reminded the world why they are still one of the most experienced squads on the international stage. Caps’s Yone tore through FURIA with a flawless seven zero eight finish, and Hans Sama’s Senna backed it up with six kills of his own. FURIA barely managed to put anything on the board as G2 closed out the series with ruthless dominance.
In stark contrast, Bilibili Gaming’s match against Vietnam’s GAM Esports offered no such suspense. BLG asserted control from the first whistle. Their early game coordination, especially through Beichuan’s jungle pathing, suffocated GAM out of contention. Bin, ever the top lane powerhouse, led the charge with a commanding performance on Renekton and Ambessa, bullying his opponents and taking over every skirmish he touched. Mid laner Knight’s consistency was once again on display, controlling the pace and never allowing GAM to find footing.
The numbers told the story. GAM failed to secure a single tower or dragon in game three, and every attempt at fighting back was snuffed out by BLG’s precision and preparation. While GAM entered with promise and flair, they exited day one with bruises and questions about how to reset for the lower bracket.
Now, as G2 prepares to face BLG in the next round for a direct ticket to the Bracket Stage, fans are eager to see if the European side can elevate their performance or if BLG will steamroll another opponent. Meanwhile, FURIA and GAM are set to clash in an elimination match, where only one will survive and continue their MSI journey.
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