Worlds 2023 Swiss Stage Day 9 Matchup Draws, Schedule, and Predictions
One more round to go. One final day. Six remaining unqualified teams. Who will survive to tell the tale in this final round of League of Legends’s Worlds 2023 Swiss Stage?
Round 5 of the Swiss Stage exists as both qualification and elimination for the remaining six teams. Survive this Bo3, and they proceed to the Knockout Stage and Top 8 at Worlds 2023. Lose, and be eliminated from Worlds 2023, where the teams’ journey for the year ends, right there and then.
Worlds 2023 Swiss Stage Day 9 Schedule
KT Rolster vs Dplus KIA [5am BST]
Yet another clash between domestic rivals KT Rolster and Dplus KIA. Moreover, this game would be a rematch from Round 2, seeing the South Korean 3rd and 4th seeds duking it out one more time for the final qualification spot.
KT has had a fairly turbulent time at Worlds 2023 thus far, having faced Bilibili Gaming, DPlus KIA, Weibo Gaming, and LNG Esports. Three Chinese representatives AND a familiar domestic matchup. Despite that, KT has managed to walk out of the scrabble with a solid 2-2 score. Having already beaten Dplus days before, KT should be coming into this series with a degree of comfort and confidence.
Then we have Dplus KIA. Defending Worlds champion Kim “Deft”“Deft” Hyuk-kyu’s legacy aside, this team has struggled to contend with the world’s best at this event. For the pedigree of names on this roster, it befuddles the mind to see the staticness of the team. Their victories thus far have been against Team BDS (LEC 4th seed) and GAM Esports. However, their losses have been against G2 Esports and KT Rolster.
In conclusion, Dplus is heading into a matchup that seems very much stacked against them. However it is not too late. One series victory, and all will be forgiven on the next stage. For KT, this has to be the year they finally rise and meet the expectations set before them. Strafe viewers have voted in favor of KT, with 62% of the 480 predictions.
G2 Esports vs Bilibili Gaming [8am BST]
Oyoyoyoy, today’s games spawned two factors. 1. G2 squandering a relatively painless path to Top 8, and 2. T1 smacking BLG has resulted in an immensely pissed off and motivated Chinese roster. Time to see what happens.
G2 Esports began their Worlds run with impressive promise. Not only did they manage to defeat Dplus KIA in their opening game, they followed it up with a clean comeback against Weibo. Their loss in the 3rd round to Gen.G was not unexpected, but everybody expected the European juggernaut to bulldoze down NRG and qualify for the Knockout Stage. Yea…
Bilibili Gaming stand on the other side. Despite a clean performance from T1, BLG looked far from a weak team. They delivered in the solo lanes, however, could not match T1 in the teamfighting department this series. BLG’s only other loss at this tournament was to JD Gaming. Moreover, they have marked victories against KT Rolster and Fnatic.
To conclude, both G2 and BLG looked less than their usual selves in their respective games. As it stands, Strafe viewers are unusually split. With 536 predictions, the vote is split 50% exactly. Even we can not predict the future on this one.
Fnatic vs Weibo Gaming [11am BST]
Comeback kids, Weibo’s first Worlds run is being challenged by Fnatic’s revival of form. Now with only one of the two surviving, there is a chance no EU team makes it the top 8 of Worlds 2023. The alternative results would mean Weibo’s run ends here, with all the promising and rapid development that this team has shown at Worlds 2023.
For Fnatic, who lost to both LNG and BLG, losing here would complete the trifecta of Chinese teams that wreathe around JDG. However, winning here would mean a great deal. Guaranteed top 8, the first European team at Worlds 2023 to do so. Also, to be the second Western team to take a win off a Chinese team. Thus far, the only losses the Eastern teams have suffered have been to their own and G2.
Weibo meanwhile, has one last shot to continue their run. A far-from-smooth run for the Chinese 4th seed, who fell to G2 and KT and won against NRG and MAD Lions. Their relative record against Western teams aside, they have yet to prove they can handle the Eastern teams, much less those on the higher end of the skill spectrum.
To conclude, while Fnatic has notably suffered prior to this at the hands of Asian teams, they are now presented with the unique opportunity to recover a win for the Western side. For Weibo’s side though, winning here is crucial if they seek to continue forging a new legacy for themselves this year. Strafe viewers favor Weibo in the match-up with 57% of voters choosing the Chinese side.
Where to Watch Worlds 2023 Swiss Stage?
Worlds 2023 Swiss Stage can be watched on Twitch and YouTube. For the full list of streams in all available languages, check this link here.
For any information on Worlds 2023, you can check out our all-inclusive guide for Worlds here.
Featured Image Credit: Worlds 2023 // LoL Esports // Riot Games