Kha Y Tran The Vietnam vs Korea League of Legends friendly match ahead of ASIAD 2026 brought many surprises. Vietnam faced a star-studded Korean lineup. However, the Vietnamese team still played well. In fact, Vietnam won the first game of the series.
The match was an important test for both teams. Korea used it to prepare for ASIAD 2026. Meanwhile, Vietnam used the series to test its strength against a top opponent.
The match followed a best-of-five format. Therefore, the first team to win three games would take the series. Both teams also played on League of Legends Patch 26.18.
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Vietnam and Korea Lineups
Korea entered the match with a powerful lineup. The team featured Zeus, Canyon, Faker, Gumayusi, and Keria. All five players have strong international experience. As a result, Korea was the clear favorite before the match.
Vietnam had a different goal. The team wanted to test its level against one of the best teams in the world. The match also gave the Vietnamese players useful experience. More importantly, they could test their tactics before ASIAD 2026.
However, Vietnam did not look out of place. The Vietnamese team created several difficult moments for Korea. Most notably, it took the first game in a major upset.
Vietnam Shock Korea in Game 1
In Game 1, Korea immediately showed its strength. Zeus, Canyon, Faker, Gumayusi, and Keria controlled much of the early game. At one point, Korea held a clear gold advantage. Furthermore, the Korean team secured two Baron buffs, which gave them even more control.
However, Vietnam refused to rush into unnecessary fights. Instead, the Vietnamese players focused on surviving and extending the game. They waited for their champions to reach their key power spikes. As a result, Vietnam slowly regained control of the map. The turning point came during a crucial team fight.
Vietnam won the fight and quickly converted the advantage into a push toward the Korean base. Soon after, the Vietnamese players destroyed Korea’s Nexus. Therefore, Vietnam took a surprising 1-0 lead in the BO5 series.
It was an impressive start against a Korean lineup filled with world-class players.
Korea Responds in Game 2
After the unexpected loss, Korea quickly changed its approach in Game 2. The focus shifted toward the bottom lane. Gumayusi and Keria worked together extremely well and gained control of key resources.
Meanwhile, Canyon continued to control the major objectives. Because of this, Korea gradually increased its advantage across the map. By around the 25-minute mark, Korea had built a significant resource lead.
The Korean team then began forcing fights on its own terms. At the same time, it controlled important areas of the map and denied Vietnam the chance to recover. Vietnam could not repeat its comeback from Game 1.
Eventually, Korea closed out the game and tied the series at 1-1.
The result also showed why Korea remains one of the favorites for the ASIAD 2026 League of Legends event.
Zeus Shines as Korea Takes the Lead
Vietnam made a roster change in Game 3. Pun came in for Kiaya as Vietnam looked for a different approach. The Vietnamese team also targeted Faker during the draft. In fact, Vietnam banned four mid-lane champions to limit the Korean superstar. However, the strategy did not stop Korea.
Instead, Korea shifted its focus toward Zeus in the top lane. Zeus played Camille and quickly became the biggest threat on the map. He repeatedly found strong plays and created major pressure for Vietnam.
One of his most impressive moments came when he secured a Double Kill in a 1v3 situation.
However, Vietnam also played well during the game. At one point, the Vietnamese team built a lead of more than 6,000 gold in the late game. This gave Vietnam a major opportunity to finish the game.
Unfortunately, the team could not turn that advantage into victory. Zeus continued to grow stronger as the game progressed. His Camille became extremely difficult to deal with. Moreover, his experience helped Korea remain calm during the most important moments.
Eventually, Korea completed the comeback and moved ahead 2-1.
Korea Ends the Series in Game 4
Game 4 was Vietnam’s final chance to bring the series back to 2-2. The Vietnamese players fought hard. However, Korea once again showed its superior experience and game control.
From the draft, Korea made several effective choices. Then, the team executed its strategy with patience and discipline. Vietnam struggled to find good opportunities for team fights. Meanwhile, Korea continued to control objectives and punish small mistakes.
As a result, Korea secured another victory in Game 4.
The Korean team closed the friendly series with a 3-1 win over Vietnam.
Vietnam vs Korea Result Offers Positive Signs
Although Vietnam lost the series, the Vietnam vs Korea result ahead of ASIAD 2026 still offers several positive signs.
First, Vietnam managed to defeat Korea’s powerful lineup in Game 1. That alone showed that the Vietnamese team can compete when it finds the right approach. Furthermore, Vietnam built a lead of more than 6,000 gold during Game 3. This was another clear sign of the team’s potential.
However, the biggest issue was closing out games. Vietnam created strong advantages but struggled to turn them into final victories. Therefore, improving late-game decision-making will be important before the ASIAD tournament begins.
Hizto also delivered a convincing performance during the series. At the same time, playing against stars such as Faker, Zeus, Canyon, Gumayusi, and Keria should provide valuable experience. Of course, Korea still showed a clear advantage in experience.
The Korean players remained composed during difficult moments. Moreover, they were better at turning small advantages into major objectives and eventually closing out games.
Vietnam Has More Than a Week to Prepare
Following the friendly match, Vietnam will have more than a week to prepare for the official League of Legends event at ASIAD 2026. The competition is scheduled to begin in Japan on September 29, 2026.
Therefore, this friendly series can serve as an important learning experience for Vietnam. The team now has valuable information about its strengths and weaknesses. In addition, the coaching staff can use the series to adjust its drafts and late-game strategies.
The Vietnam 1-3 Korea result may not be the outcome Vietnamese fans wanted. Nevertheless, the performance was encouraging. Vietnam proved that it can challenge a world-class Korean lineup. If the team can improve its ability to close out games and protect late-game advantages, it could still create surprises at ASIAD 2026.
For now, the friendly match has provided Vietnam with a valuable final test. More importantly, it has shown that the gap between the two teams may not be as wide as the final score suggests.
Read more:
ASIAD 2026 LoL: Exciting Matches to Watch
Vietnam One Win Away From ASIAD Seeding Glory
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