MSI 2026 Match Preview – Team Liquid Versus Relove Deep Cross Gaming – Elimination On the Cards Already

|
By:Devin Morris
The MSI 2026 Logo

After playing one MSI best-of-five series, Team Liquid and Deep Cross Gaming are on the brink of elimination. Both teams lost their first series 3-0 to T1 and Karmine Corp, respectively. They should be a better matchup for each other. Both will want to prove that they are not the weakest team in the competition. Can DCG earn their first international series victory?

Their Opening Match

KC beat DCG in their first MSI series
Image of KC beating DCG at MSI, courtesy of LoL Esports

TL opened their account against T1 at MSI. They had a significant lead in game two of the series. However, their hesitancy led to them giving T1 a route back into the game. T1 took advantage. They had chances throughout the series to contend for the LCK second seed. DCG’s only chance for a win in their series was game one, but they lost control.

Featured Matchup

Morgan Versus Flauren

Once again, eyes will be on the top lane matchup. Flauren barely got a chance to show his skills against Canna. The LEC top laner won every laning phase. Morgan is a step down from Canna, but is still a potent threat. Flauren must recover from a disappointing loss and take the fight to the former LCK top laner.

Reading DCG’s Playstyle

Despite the time to prepare for DCG, Karmine Corp did not start their series against the LCP second seed well. They were willing to fight DCG for every inch, which played into DCG’s hands. Once KC started to play their game, they took over the series. DCG will always fight when they see the opportunity. Even when they could have taken the Baron and left, DCG chose to fight anyway. That was their downfall in the first game of the series. TL has the series to learn and adapt to their playstyle. They should have a better chance against DCG after playing against T1 in the opening series.

TL’s Drafts Should Pay Off

TL’s draft strategy did not differ much from the regular season. They chose to prioritize comfort champions and allowed T1 to counter them. T1 did not do as well as expected in punishing TL’s drafts. However, they showed the weaknesses of the approach. DCG is not a team that can punish them as well. They lack the wide range of champion picks, and they rely heavily on mechanics to win. If TL drafts for teamfighting and plays slowly in the laning phase, DCG should crumble. While TL does not have the same prowess as Karmine Corp, they should still be better than DCG in that aspect.

Prediction

Team Liquid 3-1 Relove Deep Cross Gaming

DCG should have a better showing in the series. With more stage time under their belt, they have had time to get accustomed to it. They are also against an opponent that, on paper, is weaker than Karmine Corp. TL is still a strong opponent. They got leads and stayed even with T1 for most parts of the series. If DCG can get the ball rolling in the early game, they might cause an upset. We saw what they could do when they played their style. They have the mechanics to match Karmine Corp. However, once the style fails, they crumble quickly.

Dodging Elimination

The Day 2 MSI schedule
Image of the Day 2 MSI schedule, courtesy of LoL Esports

The loser of the series will see their MSI competition end early. They will become the first team knocked out of the competition. The victor stays alive and will face the loser of T1 and Karmine Corp tomorrow. They will need to win that series to have a chance at advancing to the Bracket Stage.

More LoL Esports Content

Below is all the previous MSI content on the Total Apex. You can expect more MSI articles in the following weeks.

Devin Morris is a Gaming Writer and Esports Editor for Total Apex Media. Devin is a gaming fanatic from little old South Africa. Devin has had a passion for gaming and writing from a young age. Devin's early favorites were Age of Empires, FIFA and Need for Speed games. As Devin grew older he moved into more competitive gaming, focusing on Overwatch, League of Legends and Teamfight Tactics. Devin also sinks way too many hours into Destiny 2!

Loading...