A fun coincidence happened as we’re closing out on the Group Stage of Worlds 2020 – Group C wound up having the exact same scorelines as in 2019.
1) Same regions. In 2019, the teams in this group were SKT, RNG, CG, and FNC. This year, we have GenG, LGD, TSM, and FNC once again. Both times around, it opposed the four major regions (only a maximum of one group per Worlds goes that way).
2) Same scores.
Both years had the same standings and scores for each region. 5-1 for Korea, 4-2 for Europe, 3-3 for China, 0-6 for North America.
3) Same head-to-head.
| SKT | FNC | RNG | CG | |
| SKT | 1-1 | 2-0 | 2-0 | |
| FNC | 1-1 | 1-1 | 2-0 | |
| RNG | 0-2 | 1-1 | 2-0 | |
| CG | 0-2 | 0-2 | 0-2 |
| GenG | FNC | LGD | TSM | |
| GenG | 1-1 | 2-0 | 2-0 | |
| FNC | 1-1 | 1-1 | 2-0 | |
| LGD | 0-2 | 1-1 | 2-0 | |
| TSM | 0-2 | 0-2 | 0-2 |
These two groups had the same composition, same scores, and same head-to-head. What does that mean? Absolutely nothing, it’s just a bit of fun trivia. The interesting part, however, is that while the outcomes were exactly the same, the way these groups unfolded was entirely different from one year to the next.
2019 had SKT dominate, followed by RNG, with FNC lagging behind and trying to catch up. SKT was on their way to claim another 6-0 and RNG had given them a good challenge. In the meantime, FNC struggled in an extremely close, 45-minute blood bath against the 0-3 CG, before eventually going up to 2-2 through a base race. In other words, the playoffs spots seemed all but locked by SKT and RNG. But then, Fnatic flipped a switch and went from struggling against CG to stomping both Korea and China and snagging the second place from RNG.
2020 was nothing similar. The three teams with wins were all tied at 2-1 by the end of week 1, and all looked like they had an equal shot at qualifying. Level-wise, that is, because participants that are tied usually have the same conditions for advancing, one would think. (We also won’t mention the fact that it was NA’s first seed this time, this is one that we try to forget.)
In 2020, three teams started the week 2 race on even footing. GenG clinched the first Quarters spot, FNC followed in the next game, and they then battled out for first spot. Qualifications were determined by game 4, rather than uncertain until the very end, and Fnatic was ahead rather than having to win every single game while fighting for their lives.
And yet, the final outcome is the exact same.
Related: Worlds 2020: A Look at Each Region’s Strength in Groups
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