TL;DR
- DWG KIA secured a decisive 27-minute victory against Cloud9 in MSI 2021’s opening match
- Jungle and top lane dominance proved crucial despite anticipated mid-lane showdown
- Morgana jungle pick and clean team fighting created insurmountable advantages
- Cloud9’s early dragon control couldn’t counter DWG KIA’s superior macro play
- The win establishes DWG KIA as early Group C favorites and championship contenders
DWG KIA opened the 2021 Mid-Season Invitational with a dominant win over Cloud9.
The long-awaited MSI 2021 tournament commenced in Reykjavík, Iceland, featuring an immediate showdown between North America’s Cloud9 and reigning world champions DWG KIA. Both teams entered Group C with high expectations, creating immediate pressure to perform from the tournament’s outset.
While spectators anticipated a mid-lane duel between Heo “ShowMaker” Su and Luka “Perkz” Perković, the match outcome hinged on superior jungle coordination and top lane pressure from the Korean representatives.
.@DWGKIA take down @Cloud9 in the Opening Match! #MSI2021 pic.twitter.com/tYPM0pFvzk
— LoL Esports (@lolesports) May 6, 2021
Draft phase provided immediate insights into evolving MSI meta strategies. Cloud9 selected Varus for bot lane pressure and Kindred jungle for scaling potential, complemented by Tahm Kench protection. Meanwhile, DWG KIA surprised viewers with Morgana jungle—a pick that demonstrated innovative thinking and adaptability to current patch dynamics.
The champion selections highlighted contrasting team philosophies: Cloud9 prioritized multiple carry threats with defensive support, while DWG KIA focused on control and team fight execution. Understanding these draft strategies is crucial for teams preparing their own Class Guide approaches in competitive environments.
Action erupted quickly on Summoner’s Rift as Cloud9’s bot laner Jesper “Zven” Svenningsen secured first blood. However, DWG KIA immediately responded with strategic top jungle pressure, where Kim “Khan” Dong-ha established early dominance against Ibrahim “Fudge” Allami.
The jungle matchup proved decisive early, with Robert “Blaber” Huang falling significantly behind Kim “Canyon” Geon-bu’s Morgana. Cloud9’s bot lane attempted to stabilize through proactive plays, preventing immediate snowballing from the Korean squad.
Common early game mistakes include overextending for first blood without securing corresponding objectives—exactly what hampered Cloud9’s early advantage. Teams should prioritize objective control over isolated kills, similar to strategic approaches in our Complete Guide to competitive gameplay fundamentals.
Cloud9 established bot-side map priority, enabling successful dragon area skirmishes. However, containing DWG KIA’s wave management and tower pressure proved challenging, allowing the LCK champions to reclaim gold advantages and overall map control.
The mid-game phase demonstrated DWG KIA’s superior macro understanding. While Cloud9 secured dragons, they failed to translate objective control into lasting advantages—a common pitfall for teams transitioning from early to mid-game.
Advanced optimization involves balancing objective takes with lane pressure, ensuring teams don’t sacrifice too much map control for single objectives. This strategic balancing act resembles the weapon selection considerations in our Weapons Unlock guide for maximizing combat effectiveness.
After methodically building advantages through patient play, DWG KIA accelerated tempo with precise team fighting. Consecutive favorable engagements secured Baron Buff, creating an insurmountable advantage.
Cloud9 struggled against DWG KIA’s Zoe, Morgana, and Jhin poke composition. The deciding team fight concluded at 27 minutes, demonstrating championship-level closing capabilities.
The final push showcased optimal team fight execution: proper positioning, ability sequencing, and target priority. Teams aiming to improve their late game should focus on these execution elements rather than simply accumulating advantages.
DWG KIA’s commanding performance immediately validated their championship contender status. The victory positions them favorably in Group C ahead of matches between DetonatioN FocusMe and Infinity Esports.
The 2021 Mid-Season Invitational group stage continues through May 11, with elimination looming for underperforming teams.
For teams analyzing this match, key takeaways include the importance of flexible draft strategies, jungle tempo control, and clean team fight execution under pressure.
Action Checklist
- Analyze draft phase strategies and identify meta trends
- Review early game tempo and identify key momentum shifts
- Study objective control transitions between early and mid-game
- Practice team fight execution with specific composition synergies
- Develop closing strategies for different gold lead scenarios
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