Kha Y Tran In the group stage of the LPL 2026 Split 1, Top Esports (TES) faced Invictus Gaming (IG) in a highly anticipated matchup. Both teams came in with strong lineups. However, TES quickly proved they were the better side. As a result, they secured a convincing 2–0 win.
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Overall Draft (Ban/Pick) Assessment
From the very start, TES showed clear superiority in the draft. First, they built a team that was easy to execute. Moreover, their lineup was strong in teamfights and excellent at controlling objectives.
In contrast, IG chose a much harder composition. Their champions needed perfect mechanics and precise timing. Unfortunately, they never got the right conditions to make it work.
Because TES drafted strong engage tools, they could force fights on their own terms. Therefore, they did not need to take big risks. As long as they followed their plan, they stayed in control.
On the other hand, IG relied on picks and surprise plays. However, when those did not work early, they had no backup plan. As a result, if IG failed to snowball early, they almost always fell behind.
Detailed Match Breakdown
Game 1: TES Dominate from Start to Finish
At the beginning, both teams played aggressively. However, TES gained vision control around the river first. Because of that, they put pressure on IG’s jungle right away.
Meanwhile, IG tried to get an edge in the top lane. Still, they could not turn that into a real lead.
Then, between minutes 15 and 20, TES started winning key skirmishes. For example, they caught IG players in the river and secured important kills. At the same time, TES’s bot lane pushed hard. As a result, IG’s ADC had to play safely and lost a lot of farm.
Because of these plays, TES built a huge advantage. Eventually, they ended the game with a 20–8 kill score. Therefore, Game 1 clearly showed the gap in teamfighting and objective control.
Game 2: TES Leave No Room for a Comeback
In Game 2, IG changed their plan. First, they tried early rotations. Then, they looked for small objectives. However, TES stayed calm and disciplined.
Meanwhile, TES secured the first dragons. Because of that, they slowly built a gold and map lead.
Later, a big mid-game teamfight decided everything. TES had better positioning. Moreover, their engage was clean and fast. As a result, IG lost both players and objectives.
After that, TES never slowed down. Instead, they pushed every lane and took every fight on their terms. Finally, they closed the game with no real resistance and finished the series 2–0.
Key Highlights of the Series
- TES controlled the tempo from the laning phase, dominating vision and major objectives (dragons, Rift Herald).
- In both games, TES won nearly every crucial teamfight thanks to excellent positioning, precise engages, and smooth ability coordination.
- TES top laner 369 delivered a rock-solid performance — winning lane, applying strong split-push pressure, and always showing up at the right time in major fights.
Final Thoughts
In this matchup, TES displayed impressive form, staying composed in teamfights and objective setups. IG struggled to dictate the pace, especially in large-scale fights and map control, as TES played a clean and mistake-free style.
This victory gives TES a major confidence boost in the group stage, while IG will need to re-evaluate their strategy and execution in upcoming matches.
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Quynh Bui 
