LCK Cup 2026 Match Review: Group Baron Remains Alive With a Dominant T1 Victory
Dplus KIA has a chance to win the LCK Cup Group Battle for Group Elder. A series victory would guarantee their spot in the Playoffs. However, T1 had other ideas in the series. They came out swinging and surged to a 2-0 series lead. Game three was messy and took longer, but inevitably, T1 won the series. The Group Battle will go down to the final series between Gen.G Esports and Hanwha Life Esports tomorrow.
LCK Cup 2026: T1 Versus Dplus KIA Match Review
Game One Draft
Dplus KIA – Blue Side
- Rumble
- Xin Zhao
- Orianna
- Ezreal
- Karma
T1 – First Pick
- Ambessa
- Jarvan IV
- Azir
- Jhin
- Neeko
Game One Summary
Doran roams mid-early. ShowMaker flashes onto Faker to earn First Blood, but then dies to Doran. The draft for DK means the side lanes should be ahead. However, a gank from Oner gives Peyz a lead. On the other hand, Doran solo kills Siwoo. DK teleports both their solo lanes into the Rift Herald fight. They manage to kill Oner, but Faker gets the First Blood Tower.
The teams trade kills in the third Drake fight. T1 secures the objective and moves to Chemtech Soul point. Faker kills Career, and DK gives up the Chemtech Soul. T1 forces DK to move to the Baron. They clean up four kills and get the Void objective. DK tries to force a fight on the Baron push, but they are too far behind.
Total Apex Ratings
T1
- Doran – 7
- Oner – 6
- Faker – 8
- Peyz – 7
- Keria – 6
Dplus KIA
Siwoo – 4
Lucid – 6
ShowMaker – 5
Smash – 6
Career – 4
Player of the game – Faker
Game Two Draft
T1 – Blue Side
- Sion
- Vi
- Ryze
- Kai’Sa
- Nautilus
Dplus KIA – Second Pick
- Zaahen
- Wukong
- Anivia
- Corki
- Alistar
Game Two Summary
Career burns Faker’s flash early. On Lucid’s level six, he goes mid-lane and earns the First Blood on a flashless Faker. Faker tries to make plays across the map, to varying success. He needs to keep roaming to break open the game through side lanes. T1 executes a perfect 5v5 fight. They get five kills, while losing no one. All of a sudden, T1 has a 4.5k gold lead. T1 takes the Baron at 21 minutes, and DK has no answer. DK manages to hold on as the T1 circus rears its head. One last push, and T1 ends the game with only Oner left alive.
Total Apex Ratings
T1
- Doran – 8
- Oner – 7
- Faker – 7
- Peyz – 9
- Keria – 7
Dplus KIA
- Siwoo – 4
- Lucid – 4
- ShowMaker – 5
- Smash – 4
- Career – 4
Player of the game – Peyz
Game Three Draft
T1 – Blue Side
- Kennen
- Nocturne
- Galio
- Varus
- Rell
Dplus KIA – Second Pick
- Yorick
- Pantheon
- Ahri
- Lucian
- Nami
Game Three Summary
Oner reads the potential dive from DK. Keria instantly turns on Career when he tanks Tower and earns the First Blood for Peyz. Keria dies in the ensuing play, but it is an advantage for T1. T1’s bot lane overplays once, but the rest of the early game goes in T1’s favor. At 11 minutes, Peyz has a 1k gold lead.
Career has a strenuous task in this game. Every time he appears on T1’s screens with ultimates up, he dies. T1’s teamfighting is a bit messy. DK thinks they have a chance to get the Baron after killing Faker. Instead, Doran, with a Teleport flank, kills ShowMaker and forces Lucid into G/A. During that time, Oner smites the Baron. T1 ends the game with the Baron push.
Total Apex Ratings
T1
- Doran – 7
- Oner – 7
- Faker – 6
- Peyz – 7
- Keria – 7
Dplus KIA
- Siwoo – 6
- Lucid – 4
- ShowMaker – 6
- Smash – 6
- Career – 3
Series Summary
T1 secured a dominant series victory over DK in this series. Even in situations where they were behind or at a draft disadvantage, they came out ahead. The third game was a bit shaky, as fights became messy. Other than that, T1 always managed to garner a lead in teamfights. Career struggled in the series, especially in game three, as he was T1’s target. Peyz’s mechanics were on display once again as he took over in the series. At the moment, it appears that T1 and Gen.G Esports are steps ahead of the rest of the LCK.
Total Apex Series Ratings
T1
- Doran – 7.3
- Oner – 6.7
- Faker – 7.0
- Peyz – 7.7
- Keria – 6.7
Dplus KIA
- Siwoo – 4.7
- Lucid – 4.7
- ShowMaker – 5.3
- Smash – 5.7
- Career 3.7
Player of the series – Peyz
Other LCK Articles
- LCK Cup Week 1 Recap
- LCK Cup Week 2 Recap
- LCK Cup Week 2 Predictions
- LCK Cup Week 3 Predictions
