MSI 2026 Match Review – Team Secret Whales Versus Top Esports: The Whales Achieve the Biggest Upset of MSI So Far
Team Secret Whales had not won a game in international events in 2026. Their series against Top Esports changed their fortunes. They defeated the LPL second seed at MSI, earning Vietnam’s first victory over an LPL or LCK team. Pun was instrumental to TSW’s success, dominating the top lane. TSW will now face LYON in the next round, looking to reach the top four.
MSI 2026: Game One Review
Draft
Team Secret Whales – Blue Side
- Olaf
- Lee Sin
- Ryze
- Senna
- Nautilus
Top Esports – First Pick
- Jayce
- Jarvan IV
- Yone
- Ziggs
- Rell
Explosive Early
After getting the early push, Eddie and Bie can not play out the bounce. He dies to JackeyLove for first blood. At the same time, Pun runs ZUIAN down. TES get the first Drake, but not for free, as Hizto and Dire get a kill each. Tian invades for Hizto’s red buff. He got the camp, but died alongside Creme. Only Hizto died on the other side. At the very least, ZUIAN had free time on the top tower.
Unusual Fight Commitment
TES commit onto Bie in a top lane river fight. The plan fails as TSW match with Hizto dancing around TES. TSW force Baron, and it looks free. Hizto smites early, and that allows JackeyLove to steal with the Mega Inferno Bomb. Tian and Fengyue die in the ensuing fight. TES claw some of the lead back with the Baron by killing Towers.
TSW Crush the Baron Fight
After wasting Pun’s Ragnarok, TSW play slow and bring TES to the Baron. After stalling for long enough, they pull the trigger. They earn a 5 for 1 ace, and take both the Baron and Ocean Soul. With a 10k gold lead and Ocean Soul, TSW slowly whittle away at TES’s base before they have to fight. TSW wins game one.
Player Ratings
Team Secret Whales
- Pun – 8
- Hizto – 9
- Dire – 8
- Eddie – 7
- Bie – 8
Top Esports
- ZUIAN – 3
- Tian – 2
- Creme – 5
- JackeyLove – 3
- Fengyue – 3
Player of the Game – Hizto
MSI 2026: Game Two Review
Draft
Team Secret Whales – Blue Side
- Ornn
- Naafiri
- Aurora
- Miss Fortune
- Bard
Top Esports – First Pick
- Rumble
- Vi
- Ahri
- Yunara
- Lulu
Questionable TSW Invade
After a slow early game, TSW look for an invade on Tian’s blue buff. TES instantly turn onto Hizto and blow him up. Creme gets the latest first blood kill. TES outmaneuver TSW on the map to break towers and earn a couple of kills. All of a sudden, TES has a 4k gold lead at 18 minutes.
Crashing the Rift Herald is a Mistake
TSW looks for the mid tower with the Rift Herald. However, TES arrives to punish the decision. JackeyLove dies, but so do Eddie, Pun, and TSW’s mid tower. TSW refuses to give up without a fight, but the gold lead is too big. TES gets the Ocean Soul after getting a 5 for 0 ace. TSW tries to kill JackeyLove, but they do not have the damage. TES uses the kills to take the Baron and pushes for the end.
Player Ratings
Team Secret Whales
- Pun – 4
- Hizto – 3
- Dire – 3
- Eddie – 3
- Bie 2
Top Esports
- ZUIAN – 6
- Tian – 8
- Creme – 8
- JackeyLove – 7
- Fengyue – 7
Player of the Game – Creme
MSI 2026: Game Three Review
Draft
Top Esports – Blue Side
- Sion
- Wukong
- Hwei
- Ashe
- Seraphine
Team Secret Whales – Second Pick
- Sett
- Xin Zhao
- Sylas
- Ezreal
- Karma
Winning in the Bot Lane
Eddie and Bie look for the all-in, but after Eddie misses his skillshots, TES turn on him. JackeyLove earns two kills. TES send their bot lane to the top lane, but the gank fails. After ZUIAN leaves, Hizto joins Pun to kill the Flashless JackeyLove.
Battling on the Drake
Eddie lands poke onto Fengyue in the second Drake fight. That triggers Hizto to jump onto the TES support. Bie dies, but TSW crushes the rest of the fight. TES denies the Drake stacking, but Pun’s Showstopper gets him close to TES. He kills JackeyLove and TSW crushes the teamfight. They move over to take a 20-minute Baron.
Slow But Steady
The game slows down to a snail’s pace as TSW do not force plays until the Baron is up again. They draw TES in and kill both ZUIAN and Tian, before turning back to the objective. Pun is the point of engagement again on the Drake as TSW clean up the fight to end the game.
Player Ratings
Team Secret Whales
- Pun – 9
- Hizto – 7
- Dire – 7
- Eddie – 8
- Die – 6
Top Esports
- ZUIAN – 5
- Tian – 4
- Creme – 5
- JackeyLove – 5
- Fengyue 3
Player of the Game – Pun
MSI 2026: Game Four Review
Draft
Team Secret Whales – Blue Side
- Yorick
- Dr. Mundo
- Viktor
- Caitlyn
- Elise
Top Esports – First Pick
- Gnar
- Qiyana
- Syndra
- Mel
- Pyke
Early Deaths in Every Lane
Fengyue all-ins Eddie, but he barely lives. After he tries to leave, he dies to Bie’s Ignite. The trades in the mid lane allow Tian to kill Dire. ZUIAN looks for the solo kill on Pun, but Hizto arrives just in time to save his top laner. After a couple more kills in the lanes, TSW win a bot lane skirmish. TSW’s two kills go to Hizto.
A Delayed Ace
TSW and TES battle for the second Drake. Bie and Dire die instantly in the fight, but TSW fight back with Pun, Hizto, and Eddie. They pick up the Drake and the delayed ace. TES crushes the lead with picks on bot lane and mid lane simultaneously. The teams trade towers, and the gold stays even. Tian steals the third Drake to prevent TSW’s Drake stacking. Pun dies on the next Drake fight, but the rest of his team takes the objective at the same time.
Not Forcing the Cloud Soul
TSW chooses to take the Baron instead of looking for their Cloud Soul. The choice does not play out how they want. They only get one tower, and Pun dies to JackeyLove and ZUIAN. TSW runs at TES before the Drake spawn. They kill JackeyLove, but TES delays while ZUIAN pushes. Tian catches Eddie, and TSW have to give up the Drake again. Tian looks for another pick around the Baron. However, this time the play fails, and JackeyLove dies again. TSW take the Baron. TSW trap Fengyue and ZUIAN. They get the kills and push for the end.
Player Ratings
Team Secret Whales
- PUN – 7
- Hizto – 7
- Dire – 4
- Eddie – 6
- Bie – 7
Top Esports
- ZUIAN – 3
- Tian – 6
- Creme – 6
- JackeyLove – 5
- Fengyue – 2
Player of the Game – Hizto
MSI 2026: Series Ratings
Team Secret Whales
Pun – 7.0 (Total Apex Player of the Series)
Pun was instrumental in TSW’s first series victory over an LPL team. The Ornn did not look great, but the Sett and Olaf were massive. He was the difference-maker in game three.
Hizto – 6.5
Hizto came out of the gates swinging with his Lee Sin performance. The mechanics were on point. He fell off on the Naafiri, but had stable games in the next two.
Dire – 5.5
Dire had his best international performance. That says a lot about his previous matches, as he was not that influential in this one. He was often a passenger to TSW’s success.
Eddie – 6.0
Eddie stood up to JackeyLove in this series. He had a couple of unnecessary deaths, but overall had a good performance. His Ezreal was vital to poke TES out before fights.
Bie – 5.8
Bie had a game to forget on the Bard. He missed Tempered Fates, and getting caught out did not help his team. The Elise and the Nautilus were amazing to help TSW.
Top Esports
ZUIAN – 4.3
ZUIAN’s first international performance was a disappointment. He could not keep up with Pun in the series. That being said, he is a rookie and showed some positive signs in this series.
Tian – 5.0
Another puzzling series from Tian. He had moments where he carried TES. He kept them alive in game four, but then also went for errant plays. He needed to be the backbone of this roster.
Creme – 6.0
Creme was the best player on TES for the series. He was rarely the player making mistakes, and he always did what TES needed from him.
JackeyLove – 5.0
Almost identical to Tian. TES needed him to step up. He did so in some moments. But then gave away kills during others.
Fengyue – 3.8
Much like ZUIAN, a series to forget for the rookie support. TSW caught him on multiple timers that led to leads. He is still young and needs time to develop.
More MSI Content
Below is all the previous MSI content on Total Apex. You can expect more MSI articles in the following weeks.
- MSI 2026 Information
- MSI 2026 TES Preview
- MSI 2026 TSW Preview
- MSI 2026 TES Vs TSW Preview
