After TheShy left, IG surprisingly advanced to the finals! Bottom lane player Jige shined, and WEI’s Malphite went godlike.

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The LOL Demacia Cup is nearing its conclusion. This year’s event has been marked by surprising dark horses, while the fan-favored teams like BLG and WBG have struggled.

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Instead, teams like IG and LNG have performed admirably, and today these two squads met in the semifinal clash.

The Demacia Cup dark horse battle sees IG holding the advantage.

IG’s roster for this Demacia Cup includes top laner Soboro, jungler WEI, mid laner Renard, and bottom lane duo Photic and Jwei. This lineup was initially underestimated by fans, but surprisingly, they have shown championship potential, delivering impressive performances and defeating various opponents in earlier matches.

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Photic’s performance has been particularly eye-catching. Known by fans as the "second Jige," this player was heavily mocked due to off-field controversies and had a declining career for years. Unexpectedly, after joining IG, he has performed well.

In the semifinal against LNG, many expected a full five-game series, but it turned into a one-sided massacre in favor of IG.

The first game was a nearly 40-minute intense battle. IG’s mid lane struggled under pressure, but other positions excelled. LNG’s bottom lane became a liability. IG secured the dragon soul smoothly, and although LNG had a chance to win with a double dragon, a critical mistake led to their defeat. Photic’s 8-1-10 Varus dealt the highest damage and earned MVP honors.

WEI transforms into a fish-slaying master as IG activates jungle-support synergy.

The second game became WEI’s show. Playing jungle Malphite, he achieved an incredible 10-0 personal score, dominating the match. Alongside top laner Soboro’s Renekton, they easily secured resources and team fights, leaving LNG powerless and suffering a crushing defeat.

Additionally, IG unlocked the jungle-support combo, with support Jwei and WEI’s duo starting to make a strong impact.

Fans marveled at IG’s luck in acquiring Jwei. This support had an outstanding performance last year but went unsigned during the transfer auction, eventually being picked up by IG and delivering excellent results.

After winning two games in a row, IG’s morale soared, growing more confident. LNG clearly lost form and motivation, and IG crushed them again in under 28 minutes.

In this game, Photic continued his strong play with the Kai'Sa composition, securing 12 kills. WEI’s signature Jarvan IV also set the pace, helping open the bottom lane early. LNG’s jungler made a mistake and was killed by Aatrox, causing a huge jungle disadvantage. IG then snowballed with Jarvan and Orianna mid-jungle synergy combined with Kai'Sa’s initiation, making it difficult for LNG’s Galio to save the team.

After The Shy’s departure, IG instead advanced to the finals.

With this victory, IG has secured a spot in the finals. Fans are very pleased with their performance. Typically, a Demacia Cup champion performs well the following year, often ranking among the top teams.

Many fans commented that after The Shy left, IG still managed to reach the finals, which might represent another opportunity for the team.

Although losing The Shy means a drop in team popularity and revenue, their results may actually improve. Last year, IG finished 17th in the full-season rankings, but if Riot changes the format this year, qualifying for Worlds would mean being at least in the top 16, marking progress.

Compared to last year, IG’s current roster still looks somewhat fragile. In my opinion, for IG to succeed, at least two of their three core players must consistently carry. Photic has performed well in the Demacia Cup, but his true strength remains to be seen. Soboro, as a young top laner, shows potential for growth.

Looking ahead, if Rookie competes in the first split next year, this team should have the capability to finish in the top four.