In the LPL region's EWC Oil Cup selection tournament, there is only one final BO3 and two BO5 matches left to conclude. On the previous match day, WBG faced OMG. Even after changing their AD, the "Star Light" team's combat power remained weak. Photic returned to the arena, but regardless of which hero he chose, his lane phase was always disadvantaged. Brother Zhao, perhaps having lost too much in the group stage, kicked "Bird Walking" hard in the selection matches, directly sweeping the opponent 2:0.

Regarding reverse reinforcement, OMG also has something to say. The team clearly had a weak jungler, but the management insisted on replacing the star player Starry. Now, even against a struggling WBG, they couldn't finish a BO3. It seems OMG will be one of the teams taking an early break this year. Another match was IG versus BLG. As the online match gods, IG dominated BLG right from the first game, achieving advantages across all lanes except mid.

In the first game, within 6 minutes, IG had a 5:1 kill lead. Jiaqi's Lucian bot lane took four kills consecutively. However, BLG showed strong resilience; Left Hand's presence was overwhelming, roaming everywhere to help teammates catch up economically. Around 20 minutes, Left Hand went forward to poke but got caught, directly giving away Baron. Subsequent fights became increasingly messy for BLG; every engagement had someone making mistakes. They held on for 32 minutes but ultimately lost the first game to IG.

In the second game, Bin brought out VN. This was Bin's first use of top lane Vayne after its recent surge in popularity. This debut started off average; after Wei secured first blood on him early, he failed to suppress Breathe and even got solo killed in lane. IG had a big advantage from the start. Mid-game, Breathe suddenly started feeding; his 2-0 Jax quickly became 2-3. IG's offensive rhythm was also disrupted by Breathe's frequent misplays.

Bin was invisible for over 20 minutes, only becoming impactful after three items. At 28 minutes, BLG secured Baron. While pushing top lane, their mid and jungle were killed by IG. Four players chased the VN, but Bin turned around and showcased his skills. In a 1v4 situation, Bin first killed the jungler then the AD. Although he died eventually, it was a 1v4 counter-killing two. Bin's play here is definitely the most visually striking VN performance of the second phase.

BLG hadn't picked VN before because they were hiding their strategy. Bin isn't incapable of playing it; he just didn't want to. The first 20 minutes were indeed a bit ugly, probably because he forgot how to play this hero. Once he found his feel, his mechanics became brilliant. Actually, Bin already used top lane VN back in 2024, against T1. In that match, Bin's Vayne also achieved a 1v3 solo kill on Faker.

In the decisive game, both teams traded blows early on, but BLG's mid-to-late game coordination was superb. IG held on for 30 minutes but ultimately lost. Looking at the entire BO3, it seems neither team really wants to go to the Middle East; player mistakes were plentiful. During the group stage, BLG was very disciplined and precise, but this match didn't show that; everyone seemed to play quite casually, perhaps not wanting to go.

After defeating IG, BLG's next match is against WBG. To qualify for the Oil Cup, they still need to win a BO5 against the loser of JDG and AL. If they play normally, BLG definitely can go to the Oil Cup. WBG's current form is low, and AL likely can't beat JDG either. If they face AL again, they should win easily. One can already imagine the scene of Bin's VN targeting Saint Gun.

Conclusion:

IG as a team truly has something about online matches; they can crush TES and trade blows with BLG, nearly winning. This team's strength is currently hard to gauge. However, the young mid laner Render's form has been poor in recent matches; facing Left Hand, he's like a chick, getting picked up and hammered repeatedly.

So, how do you think Bin's VN performed?

Feel free to leave comments and discuss!