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It’s playoff time! Last night was the first series of the Minor Semi Finals, featuring Tigereye and Decode. This is an elimination round – the loser will go home. Let’s jump right into the action with game one!
Tigereye vs Decode – Game One
Decode was definitely watching the last matchup between Tigereye and 2EZ, banning away the Aurien Sol and Yasuo. Decode was able to grab Ekko and Karma. Meanwhile, Tigereye secured Jhin and Nidalee in the jungle.
Bomi attempted to invade Decode’s jungle at 2:15, stealing away the red buff. However, he overstayed while attempting to fight Pune, giving up First Blood to Hi Im Bode on the roam down from top lane.
Hi Im Bode made a huge mistake a few minutes later, staying in lane while rarefiction recalled on a minion. Bomi was there to help rarefiction grab a kill. The action continued in the top lane, with Pune ganking rarefiction for yet another kill.
Poor rarefiction, he just can’t get any time in lane. Once again, a great gank by Pune netted Hi Im Bode another kill. Hi Im Bode then immediately teleported bottom lane to increase Decodes kill advantage 4-1.
Pune showed why Lee Sin can be such a deadly champion in the jungle. At 12 minutes, an excellent kick by Pune on OKTiger gave Hi Im Bode his third kill of the game.
Let’s fast forward to 17 minutes in the game, where we see our first big team fight action in the top lane (where else would we see it this game?). Tigereye was able to turn it around, going 3-1 after some excellent positioning. Just like that, the gold lead was now tied.
Tigereye just looked like the better team in the mid-to-late game. They consistently found the picks with great positioning, immediately turning to objectives after each kill. Just 23 minutes in the game, Tigereye had taken two towers in both the mid and top lane.
What a back and forth fight near Dragon Pit! All members of each team went low. Tigereye secured the Dragon, but lost OKTiger right afterward. Bomi on Nidalee tried to clean up a few kills, but went too deep and was instantly erased.
Artaphernes really turned this around for Tigereye, picking up two kills on the back end of the previous team fight as Decode attempted to retreat. Tigereye followed that up by taking down the inhibitor in the top lane.
Tigereye then turned to bottom lane. Decode looked for the flank, but it just resulted in the death of Pune and Thretn. With a 5vs3 push now, Tigereye was able to end the game at 37 minutes.
Tigereye vs Decode – Game Two
Heading into game two, it was Tigereye grabbing Karama and Ekko this game. Decode went with Elise in the jungle and Shen in the top lane. We’ll also be seeing the Lucian and Bard in the bottom lane this game for Decode.
Tigereye attempted a pretty cheeky move in the bottom lane at two minutes, camping the bush with Ecotoxic and Thretn running into lane. It didn’t go the way they planned though, with OKTiger giving up First Blood just 2 minutes into the game.
Decode wasn’t done picking on OKTiger, with Elise using the bard magical journey to get in excellent position to pick up a kill. A few minutes later, Elise was able to grab a kill on rarefiction as well. Bomi made a big mistake top lane, staying too long and giving Pune his third kill of the game.
This was turning into the Pune show early game, with yet another great gank top lane, giving Decode an early 5-0 kill advantage before even 9 minutes had passed in the game. Tigereye turned an aggressive bottom lane dive by Decode into their first two kills of the game just a minute later.
Pune once again created another kill for Hi Im Bode in the top lane. Meanwhile, ecotoxic was taken down by Broler with an excellently timed Lucian ultimate.
After trading kills through the next six minutes, Decode had a 10-5 advantage in kills. That’s when Tigereye turned this game right around.
Tigereye looked to make a proactive play in the top lane, with OKTiger picking up three kills. Tigereye was able to grab top lane inhibitor at 28 minutes on the backend of the play. Just like that, Tigereye now had a 4k gold advantage.
With their new gold lead, Tigereye pushed down inhibitor turrent in the mid lane, but Decode was able to turn it around and grab the 4-2 trade in kills.
35 minutes in the game, Baron was on the table for Tigereye. While they did secure it, Decode was there to pick up two kills and mid lane inhibitor.
You could feel the pressure mounting as this game progressed. Tigereye wanted bottom lane inhibitor, but Decode was able to hold it off, trading 3-3. Tigereye was content with taking Elder Dragon and then pushing to end. Decode made a desperate move to counter flank Tigereye to save their season, but OKTiger stepped it up, picking up a quadrakill on Sivir.
With that, Decode was the last team to enter the NZGC and the first team out of the tournament, following an 0-2 defeat to Tigereye.
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