EG have survived through the play-ins, a tiebreaker and a knockout stage to make it to the groups. A big part of their success is due to their jungler Inspired - our MVP of the Worlds 2022 Play-In.
While many fans thought that Fnatic and Evil Geniuses got lucky they avoided the representatives of the LCK and LPL in the Worlds 2022 Play-In stage, many low-key doubted whether the second team from that group would be able to make it to the main event. After all, Group A also featured PCS representatives Beyond Gaming and a DFM team that had shocked everyone last year by getting out first in a group with Cloud9. Meanwhile, the second seed likely had to take on MAD Lions or Saigon Buffalo. After the opening game between the two Western teams ended with a defeat for Evil Geniuses, things looked dire. Then, Kacper "Inspired" Słoma stepped up and showed why many consider him the best junglers in NA.
A Slow Start
The Polish player had a hard time in the game against Fnatic, but his efforts were key in how EG racked up three consecutive wins afterwards. Against LOUD, he was key in turning around what looked to be a likely win for LOUD into a key victory for the NA team. In their game against Chiefs, it was his efforts that helped the team snowball their early lead into an all-out stomp. And while his Maokai was not enough to prevent the loss to DFM that thrust EG into having to play two tiebreaker games, he was clutch in his team winning them with a pair two standout Trundle performances.
Then, when it was do or die time against MAD Lions, Inspired was once more on point. His Baron steal was key in Evil Geniuses winning the first game, but he was even better in the two more games that followed. With him, EG read MAD like a book and punished their early aggression. Despite having a standout performance in MAD’s earlier fight against Saigon Buffalo, Javier "Elyoya" Prades Batalla was reduced to mostly a spectator in the second and third game as EG dictated the pace. EG swept their rivals and gave NA their first Bo5 victory against their EU rivals in official Riot tournaments.
Stats for the Stage:
With 10 games to play between the play-in groups, tiebreakers and the knockout stage, Inspired had no few opportunities for success. Tellingly, he recovered from a weak opening game and remained a powerful presence on his team, even dying only once in the Bo5 against MAD Lions. He ends the Play-in with 29 kills, less than one death per game and an overall KDA of 14.
| Champion | Kills | Deaths | Assists |
| Game 1: Graves | 1 | 2 | 1 |
| Game 2: Maokai | 7 | 1 | 12 |
| Game 3: Lee Sin | 1 | 0 | 8 |
| Game 4: Hecarim | 5 | 1 | 9 |
| Game 5: Sejuani | 3 | 2 | 10 |
| Game 6: Trundle | 2 | 0 | 13 |
| Game 7: Trundle | 3 | 2 | 14 |
| Game 8: Maokai | 0 | 1 | 10 |
| Game 9: Sejuani | 3 | 0 | 14 |
| Game 10: Graves | 4 | 0 | 6 |
Read More about the Worlds 2022 Play-in:
- Worlds 2022: Play-In Recap
- LoL Worlds 2022: Groups Announced
- LoL Worlds Play-Ins: Schedule, Live-Stream & Scores
EG will continue their Worlds campaign in Group B, where their first game will be against LPL champions JD Gaming. Will Inspired keep leading them to victory?