TL;DR
- Cloud9 defeated Team Liquid 3-2 in a dramatic five-game Mid-Season Showdown final
- The victory marked Perkz’s first LCS title after joining from G2 Esports
- Strategic innovations in game five secured the championship victory
- The roster features international talent with championship experience
- Cloud9 advances to MSI 2021 for international competition
Cloud9 captured the 2021 Mid-Season Showdown championship in an intense five-game series against Team Liquid that showcased elite League of Legends gameplay.
Following a highly competitive North American split, the championship match represented a rematch between LCS Lock-In champions Team Liquid and regular season leaders Cloud9. Team Liquid faced additional challenges as starting jungler Lucas “Santorin” Larsen was unavailable due to health concerns, forcing substitute Jonathan “Armao” Armao into action for the second consecutive day. Despite Armao’s limited experience with the main roster, Team Liquid maintained strategic depth and multiple win conditions.
Congratulations to @Cloud9 on winning the #LCS Mid-Season Showdown and qualifying for #MSI2021! pic.twitter.com/aGAaouwBhO
— LoL Esports (@lolesports) April 12, 2021
The opening game delivered exceptional competitive action as Cloud9 established early dominance through jungler Robert “Blaber” Huang’s impactful plays. However, Team Liquid demonstrated resilience by capitalizing on Cloud9’s mid-game errors, transitioning effectively to their preferred late-game tempo.
As matches progressed into later stages, Team Liquid’s mid laner Nicolaj “Jensen” Jensen and bot laner Edward “Tactical” Ra emerged as dominant forces. After forty minutes of intense back-and-forth action, Team Liquid secured the clutch victory to take an early series lead.
Game two witnessed Cloud9 repeating their strong early performance, yet Team Liquid’s superior team coordination and execution during post-laning phase engagements earned them an early Baron advantage. Just when Team Liquid appeared poised for another victory, Cloud9’s team fight composition featuring Malphite, Orianna, and Hecarim suddenly activated, enabling consecutive successful engagements that leveled the series.
With the series tied, Team Liquid returned to scaling team fight compositions that proved effective. Cloud9 secured early advantages but failed to convert them into snowballing victories, allowing Team Liquid’s late-game win conditions to materialize. Jensen’s game-winning Orianna Shockwave secured Team Liquid’s third game victory.
.@Jensen Shockwave wins game 3️⃣! #LCS pic.twitter.com/8prHDoHd2i
— LCS (@LCSOfficial) April 11, 2021
Few anticipated Cloud9 facing elimination after three games, particularly given Team Liquid’s substitute jungle situation. Suddenly, the series momentum had shifted decisively toward Team Liquid.
Game four saw Cloud9 adopt a more deliberate, macro-oriented strategy that secured early dragon control, culminating in Mountain Soul and Elder Dragon acquisition. The empowered Cloud9 lineup proved overwhelming for Team Liquid to counter, forcing a decisive fifth game.
In the championship-deciding game five, Cloud9 executed an innovative level-one strategy that delivered first blood to bot laner Jesper “Zven” Svenningsen. An unexpected lane swap strategy effectively neutralized Barney “Alphari” Morris’s Cho’Gath from the outset, demonstrating strategic adaptability.
FIVE GAMES IN A ROW! #LCS pic.twitter.com/u2tUboKPdG
— LCS (@LCSOfficial) April 12, 2021
Cloud9 established a commanding 1,000 gold advantage within five minutes, creating snowball potential they maintained throughout the match. Despite Team Liquid’s scaling advantages, Cloud9 maintained relentless pressure to secure victory before their opponents could reach full power. After twenty-seven minutes of controlled execution, Cloud9 initiated the final push to destroy the Nexus and claim the split championship.
This championship victory secured another title for Cloud9 while marking Luka “Perkz” Perković’s first LCS championship in his debut split within the region. The team now advances to the Mid-Season Invitational, where they’ll compete against international powerhouses including DWG KIA and MAD Lions. Cloud9 enters Group C alongside representatives from LCK, LLA, and LJL regions, ensuring a highly anticipated rematch between Perkz and DWG KIA’s star mid laner Heo “ShowMaker” Su.
An extremely solid game 5 makes @Cloud9 the very first #LCS Mid-Season Showdown champions and finally get to attend MSI! pic.twitter.com/4p1o8YbylR
— LoLEsports Stats (@LoLEsportsStats) April 12, 2021
Who plays for Cloud9 in LCS 2021?
Following their failure to qualify for the 2020 World Championship, Cloud9 implemented significant roster reconstruction during the offseason. The organization committed substantial resources to acquire G2 Esports superstar Luka “Perkz” Perković, aiming to reclaim LCS dominance in 2021 while pursuing international competitive success.
The Cloud9 2021 LCS roster is:
- Top – Ibrahim “Fudge” Allami
- Jungle – Robert “Blaber” Huang
- Mid – Luka “Perkz” Perković
- Bot – Jesper “Zven” Svenningsen
- Support – Philippe “Vulcan” Laflamme
This roster combines veteran leadership with emerging talent, creating a balanced team capable of adapting to diverse strategic demands. Each player brings specialized skills that complement the team’s overall playstyle while providing flexibility in draft strategy and in-game execution.
Action Checklist
- Analyze Cloud9’s draft strategies across the five-game series
- Study team fight execution patterns in games 2 and 4
- Review objective control prioritization in championship-deciding moments
- Compare Cloud9’s early game vs late game strategic approaches
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