paiN Gaming's historic run at Worlds 2024, the 2024 League of Legends world championship, ended this Monday (7), after a 2-0 loss to Team Liquid. The match, held at the Riot Games Arena in Berlin, marked the Brazilian team's third defeat in the Swiss phase of the competition. Before this setback, paiN had already lost to G2 Esports and T1, solidifying its elimination from the tournament.
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In the first game of the series, paiN Gaming struggled from the start, being forced to adopt a defensive posture. Despite being able to capitalize on some of Team Liquid's execution errors, the North American team's strategic dominance was evident. The standout performer of the match was Liquid's ADC, Yeon, who finished with an impressive 9/0/3 scoreline, securing victory for his team in the first major fight, putting the team ahead in the series.
paiN Gaming's performance in the second game
In the second match, paiN demonstrated a more competitive performance, managing to even the score in the opening minutes. The Brazilian team put up strong mid-game battles, with an effective combination of Orianna and Nocturne, resulting in important victories in objective fights. In this phase, paiN managed to score six kills and even won a teamfight on Arauto without losing any players, rekindling the fans' hopes.
However, at the decisive moment, Team Liquid managed to regroup and capitalize on a strategic flank from their midlaner, APA. This move resulted in a clean ACE against paiN, turning the tide in Liquid's favor and sealing the Brazilian team's fate at Worlds. Team Liquid demonstrated complete map control, nullifying paiN's attempts to impose their rhythm and finishing the series with another victory.
Decisive mistakes and Team Liquid's dominance
paiN Gaming's elimination can also be attributed to some hesitation in key decisions. Although they showed some good moments, such as controlling fights and gaining kills, the team failed to maintain the consistency needed to reverse Liquid's advantage. The North American team's tactical dominance and precision prevailed, forcing paiN to play reactively for most of the series.
In the final minutes of the second game, Team Liquid cemented their advantage with a decisive fight in the 36th minute, eliminating four paiN players and securing a 2-0 series lead. With this, the Brazilian team was officially eliminated from Worlds 2024, while Team Liquid advanced in the competition, still aiming for a spot in the knockout stages.
The future of paiN Gaming and the impact of elimination
With paiN Gaming's elimination, the Brazilian organization now has to evaluate its performance and set new goals for the future. Despite the losses, the team demonstrated its potential to compete at a high level, especially when it managed to evenly match matches against strong opponents.
paiN Gaming's participation in Worlds 2024 also reinforces the importance of international experience for the Brazilian esports scene. The lessons learned from matches against elite teams like G2 Esports, T1, and Team Liquid will certainly contribute to the organization's growth and improvement in future championships.
On the other hand, Team Liquid remains in the tournament, seeking to solidify its place among the top eight teams that will advance to the playoffs. The competition remains intense, with high expectations surrounding the upcoming stages of Worlds 2024.
