LCK Cup 2026 Match Review: NS Faltered Against an Aggressive BFX
After Gen.G Esports secured the first LCK Cup series victory for Group Baron, Nongshim Redforce looked to continue that. NS was unable to get the win against FearX. Even with the return of Scout and Taeyoon to the LCK, NS could not find their footing. Under a new coach, BFX continued their aggressive playstyle from 2025. They fought for every inch on the rift as they dominated the series with a 2-0 victory.
LCK Cup 2026: FearX Versus Nongshim Redforce Match Review
Game One Draft
Nongshim Redforce – Blue Side
- Sion
- Malphite
- Taliyah
- Aphelios
- Karma
FearX – Second Pick
- Rek’Sai
- Nautlius
- Ahri
- Yunara
- Lulu
Game One Summary
Scout and VicLa start in the mid lane for their respective teams. Taeyoon and Lehends had early lane leads thanks to the draft advantage. However, the first skirmish went in favor of BFX as Diable secured two kills to neutralize the deficit. VicLa continued to outmaneuver Scout. Scout finally arrived in the first fight with perfect positioning. Sponge continued to get caught in multiple situations. He allowed BFX to get a significant lead.
Sponge finally got to connect on Diable, but NS did not have the damage. In the ensuing chase, VicLa caught Taeyoon to guarantee the fight win. With Diable online on Yunara, he tore through everyone. NS got the carries with the mid-jungle combo to delay the game. A pick on Lehends led to a dominant fight victory and a game one win.
Total Apex Ratings
FearX
- Clear – 7
- Raptor – 7
- VicLa – 6
- Diable – 8
- Kellin – 5
Nongshim Redforce
- Kingen – 7
- Sponge – 3
- Scout – 6
- Taeyoon – 4
- Lehends – 4
Game Two Draft
FearX – Blue Side
- Kennen
- Pantheon
- Sylas
- Ezreal
- Neeko
Nongshim Redforce – First Pick
- Renekton
- Wukong
- Orianna
- Varus
- Alistar
Game Two Summary
The first play of the game was a trade of mid laners in the early game. With both missing flash, VicLa got level six first and solo killed Scout. It got worse for NS as Lehends died. FearX had a gold lead above 2k before the ten-minute mark. NS stemmed the bleeding with kills in the bot and top lane. BFX started to break open the game with help from NS overforcing. Then it was BFX’s turn to overextend into Kingen’s Renekton. That play did not matter as BFX continued to smash NS to earn a 2-0 series victory. VicLa’s Sylas was incredible in the second game.
Total Apex Ratings
FearX
- Clear – 7
- Raptor – 7
- VicLa – 9
- Diable – 7
- Kellin – 5
Nongshim Redforce
- Kingen – 6
- Sponge – 5
- Scout – 4
- Taeyoon – 3
- Lehends – 5
Player of the game – VicLa
Series Summary
Overall, it was a disappointing beginning to the LCK Cup for NS. All but one of their players struggled for consistency during the series. The only player who can leave with his head held high is Kingen. That is a familiar feeling for him, as he was NS’s best player during the latter part of 2025. The return of Scout and Taeyoon to the LCK was unceremonious as they struggled. Taeyoon, especially, was caught out on numerous occasions when his team needed him.
On the other side, BFX players performed almost identically compared to last year. Diable’s mechanics were outstanding, while Clear and Raptor stayed consistent. Kellin had a few mistakes during the series. However, the biggest standout performance was VicLa. A player who struggled in LCK 2025 rose to the occasion today. His Ahri performance was solid. It would be on Sylas where he stamped his mark. After solo-killing Scout, he utilized the lead to take over the game. His best fight came at Baron, as he went in 1v4, killed Taeyoon, and managed to survive. It was a performance not many expected from the BFX mid-laner.
Total Apex Series Ratings
FearX
- Clear – 7
- Raptor – 7
- VicLa – 7.5
- Diable – 7.5
- Kellin – 5
Nongshim Redforce
- Kingen – 6.5
- Sponge – 4
- Scout – 5
- Taeyoon – 3.5
- Lehends – 4.5
Player of the series – VicLa
Other LCK Articles
- KT Rolster Versus DN SOOPers Review
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- Gen.G Esports Versus DRX Review
