League of Legends World Championship 2015 finals: SK Telecom T1 beats KOO Tigers 3-1

SK Telecom T1 may have lost its first game of Season 5 Worlds, but the Korean champions still managed to bring in its second world title. SKT defeated KOO Tigers three games to one Saturday, securing the Summoner’s Cup and ending the tournament in style.

SKT entered the day having not yet lost in the tournament, sporting a perfect 12-0 record after the group stages and the first two rounds of knockout play. SKT became the first team ever to make it all the way to the finals without losing, and was a very strong favorite to beat KOO in the finals (and widely expected to do so in three games).

The big matchup: MaRin vs. Smeb, two of the top players in the world and at this tournament. During the regular season, Smeb was forced to play a tank in all four games against SKT, but with the current meta he has the opportunity to play more carry roles. In the first game, MaRin got the best of the matchup despite Smeb being on Riven, dominating with the Rumble pick. Smeb’s play improved in Game 2, but SKT still got the win. In Game 3, the focus moved away from the top lane and Smeb shined, helping lead KOO to the win. Game 4 was dominant for SKT in every way, especially for mid laner Faker, who emerged with an incredible performance to secure the Cup.

But KOO Tigers can be very proud of its performance to get here. After finishing second in Group A, KOO defeated KT Rolster, a team that finished above KOO in LCK Summer Split, in four games in the quarterfinals. Faced with European champions Fnatic in the semifinals, KOO earned a 3-0 sweep for its spot in the semifinals.

SKT is the first team ever to win two world titles, while Faker and Bengi become the first players to ever accomplish the feat.

SKT 20-5, 42:41

Bans: Tahm Kench, Kalista, Mordekaiser; Renekton, Elise, Gangplank

At five minutes in, KOO used both of its teleports to force a fight in its advantage near the top river, earning First Blood on Hojin with a kill onto Wolf. Two minutes later, Bang, Wolf and Faker attempted to dive PraY on an outer turret. Faker got the kill, but PraY played it perfectly and took Faker down as well, making it a 1-for-1 trade.

The teleports came into play with another big team fight nine minutes in, started between the bot laners but soon involving Kuro, Bengi, MaRin and Faker (who brought ignite, but walked his way down hinto the fight). The fight first appeared to be in KOO’s favor, but as soon as MaRin appeared the tides turned. It was a 3-0 fight for SKT (with two kills for MaRin), taking the gold lead away from KOO.

A headbutt play by GorillA allowed Hojin to pick off Bengi, but SKT responded with another kill for Faker (onto Smeb this time). KOO picked up Dragon 23 minutes, but SKT was able to force KOO down with a Faker flank to force a fight. SKT won the fight 3-1, setting up a 4-0 fight nine minutes later. A triple kill for Bang soon after set up an easy Baron for SKT, opening up the KOO base by taking out the bottom inhibitor with the buff.

As the next Baron spawned, SKT forced a fight, winning the initial skirmish 2-0 and marching into the base to win the game.

SKT 22-13, 38:15

Bans: Renekton, Kalista, Tahm Kench; Gangplank, Mordekaiser, Elise

SKT started the game super aggressively, trying to disrupt KOO’s first jungle clear. Wolf pushed Hojin and Smeb off of blue buff, with MaRin and Bengi following up to try and grab some early surprise kills. But Smeb and Hojin played it perfectly, bringing MaRin under the tower and winning the fight 2-1. KOO followed that up with a successful tower dive of its own, taking out both MaRin and Bengi for GorillA and taking an early 4-2 lead.

Bengi and Bang were able to lessen KOO’s lead, taking out Smeb in the top lane with a dive that actually worked this time. KOO answered, diving MaRin under his top tower and getting Kuro his first kill of the series. Bengi returned to the top lane to try and take out Smeb with MaRin, who had returned with his teleport, but Hojin and Kuro arrived in time to make it a 2-1 fight for KOO (thanks to a nifty outplay by Smeb). Kuro’s third kill of the game came moments later onto Bengi, but Faker responded by taking him out for his first kill.

SKT caught Hojin out of position for another kill, but Kuro earned kill No. 4 by taking out MaRin under mid tower. At 16 minutes in, Smeb teleported bottom to try and save PraY from Wolf and Faker, but Smeb overcommitted to try and kill Wolf and ended up being killed by MaRin, who also teleported in for the fight.

SKT took the game’s first Dragon at a very late 19 minutes, and while KOO took an outer turret in response, SKT ended up with two kills and two turrets out of the move. SKT picked up a pair of kills near the bottom inner turret when GorillA overcommitted to protect Smeb, making it an 11-10 kill lead and an even game in gold.

While SKT picked up Dragon 2, KOO brought four players up top to take out MaRin. SKT responded by taking an inner turret, keeping the gold even. The next team fight went 2-1 in SKT’s favor, as MaRin perfectly positioned himself to teleport and flank from behind, but KOO still managed to take an inner turret after, still keeping the gold even at 30 minutes.

At 32 minutes, KOO went for a Baron play, but a teleport in from MaRin forced them to back away. Smeb was able to take down an inner turret as a result, however, taking a gold lead. KOO went hard for the Baron at 34 minutes, but SKT won the fight 3-0 and easily took the objective (and Dragon 3 to follow). As SKT does best, it turned a small advantage into a huge one, earned a perfect 5-0 ace of KOO and winning Game 2.

KOO 29-13, 37:50

Bans: Tahm Kench, Kalista, Mordekaiser; Renekton, Elise, Gangplank

Four minutes in, KOO picked up the first four kills of the game, winning an early team fight 5-1 with four kills onto Hojin. Hojin picked up his fifth kill of the game shortly after, returning to the mid lane to pick off Faker. Hojin used that advantage in the mid lane once again soon after, kicking faker directly into Kuro for the Kassadin’s first kill of the game.

After a 1 for 1 trade in a team fight, PraY landed a perfect Enchanted Crystla Arrow on Wolf for the pick, giving KOO a 9-2 kill lead and a 4.5k gold advantage. KOO picked off Bengi soon after with another Ashe arrow, and won the next fight around Dragon 1-0. At 23 minutes, KOO went for the top inner turret and took it down successfully, winning the follow-up fight 2-0. KOO forced a fight around Baron right after, winning that one 3-1.

At 28 minutes, SKT looked like it may be able to turn the game, starting a team fight with two kills. But KOO responded by taking out all five SKT members for the ace and the ensuing Baron. SKT responded by picking off both PraY and GorillA and then Kuro and Hojin, bringing the KOO gold lead down to 9k. KOO engaged hard on SKT under a tower, and SKT responded with a 3-0 team fight. But Smeb successfully took down both Bengi and MaRin in a 2 vs. 1, breaking open the SKT base by taking an inhibitor.

KOO won the next team fight 5-1 at 37 minutes, marching into the base for the first win against SKT all tournament long.

SKT 13-1, 34:34

Bans: Renekton, Rumble, Kalista; Fiora, Gangplank, Mordekaiser

With power picks Tahm Kench and Elise making it through picks and bans, First Blood went to Faker’s Ryze nine minutes in, taking out Bengi on an attempted gank. After SKT picked up the first Dragon, Bang earned the second kill of the game, and Faker took out Smeb to make it 3-0 and a 2k gold lead 14 minutes in.

This game had a much slower start than the first three in the series, as SKT suffocated KOO of all resources and win conditions. At 24 minutes, Faker solo killed Kuro, setting up another kill for him onto PraY. Up 6-0 at 28 minutes, SKT took Baron uncontested, using the buff to take two towers, an inhibitor and two kills.

Kuro picked off MaRin with the help of Hojin and Smeb for KOO’s first kill 30 minutes in, but SKT picked up a fourth unanswered Dragon a minute later. SKT picked off GorillA in the mid lane, utilizing that to take another inhibitor and extend the gold lead to 13k. SKT charged into the base at 34 minutes, picking up a triple kill for Faker and winning the game.

KOO totaled one kill and one tower in the whole game -- no Dragons, no other objectives to speak of. SKT suffocated KOO in the final game to win it all.