Karmine Corp defended its EU Masters title, defeating fellow LFL team and French regional champion LDLC in a 3-1 series.
After the semifinals earlier this week saw Karmine Corp defeat Vitality.Bee and LDLC OL sweep AGO ROGUE, the European Masters 2022 Spring concluded in a match between the two LFL teams. LDLC OL came into the tournament as the French regional champion and went on an undefeated streak all the way to the finals. Karmine Corp, meanwhile, is a star-studded roster and the winner of the last two EU Masters championship. Would LDLC ride the winning streak to the cup or would KCorp write history again by winning the tournament for a third time in a row?
A 3-1 Showdown
LDLC had the better start of the series and were looking good in the first game. A poor engage by Karmine Corp led to an 1-4 fight and set them back for the entire game. A desperate engage by the 2021 champions led to a clean ace 27 minutes, but by then they had already lost two inhibitors and less than 10 minutes later they took the Nexus to win the first game.
The second game showed us a Karmine Corp that was a lot more aggressive, for good and bad - they amassed a kill and gold lead from the early game, but they also made several mistakes that gave LDLC OL a way back into the game Their biggest failure came 26 minutes in and LDLC got an ace and the Baron. Just when it seemed like the LFL champions would take over, a great teamfight and Elder Dragon steal by KC turned it again and they equalized the series.
Game three seemed to go LDLC’s way as the team pressured the top lane, killing Lucas "Cabochard" Simon-Meslet’s Gnar three times in the first 15 minutes. This all turned around 23 minutes in as Karmine Corp won a clutch teamfight that they used to secure the Baron and with it, take the enemy mid-lane inhibitor. Now with a hefty gold lead, Karmine Corp allowed no surprises and kept the game under control, nearly getting a Pentakill for Lucas "Saken" Fayard’s Azir.
Despite several losing early trades in the bot lane, LDLC managed to bring this game around and for a long time, the two teams were fighting on a mostly even keel. However, KCorp’s early drakes proved key when 27 minutes in they stole a Mountain Dragon that gave them the soul buff and got several kills that left them in a prime position to secure Baron. A very one-sided fight after taking the Elder Dragon was all they needed to secure the win.
Not An Easy Road
It has been a bumpy ride at times for Karmine Corp, who finished third in the LFL and had to fight their way through the EU Masters play-ins. At the semifinal, they had to dig deep to reverse sweep Vitality.Bee. At the final, they faced the yet-undefeated LDLC OL, the team that had been their nemesis throughout the split, and they emerge triumphant - once more the EU Masters champions!
Read More:
- EU Masters to Conclude with an All-French Final
- LFL Rules the EU Masters Quarterfinals
- LFL, NLC Dominate Week 2 of the EU Masters
The EU Masters is now concluded, but the much-awaited Mid-Season Invitational is on the horizon. Make sure you check our coverage so that you know what to expect when the champions of the LoL pro world clash!