Major region dominance: 2023 MSI Play-Ins Day 2 recap

Bilibili Gaming won 2-0 against Movistar R7 and Golden Guardians beat GAM Esports 2-0 on May 3, the second match day of play-ins at the 2023 Mid-Season Invitational (MSI) at Copper Box Arena in London, England.

China's BLG (League Professional League/LPL, #2) and North America's GG (League Championship Series/LCS, #2) advance to face each other on May 4 for promotion to the Bracket Stage, while Mexico's R7 (Liga Latinoamérica/LLA, #1) will play against Vietnam's GAM (Vietnam Championship Series/VCS, #1) on May 5; the winner of that series will play against the loser of BLG and GG's Thursday match.

Bilibili Gaming vs. Movistar R7

Game 1: BLG wins

Bilibili Gaming took Game 1 against Movistar R7 by a 22-3 score in 26:28. BLG top laner Chen "Bin" Ze-Bin finished 2/1/10 on K'Sante; jungler Peng "Xun" Li-Xun added a 3/2/8 Lee Sin performance; mid laner Zeng "Yagao" Qi went 6/0/10 on a Nautilus mid pick that's rising in popularity; and bot laner Zhao "Elk" Jia-Hao and support Luo "ON" Wen-Jun were 9/0/10 on Lucian and 2/0/17 on Nami. R7 only managed to take one Rift Herald and one tower in the loss. Strafe Player of the Game: BLG Elk, 1st

Game 2: BLG wins

Bilibili Gaming advanced to their first chance at Bracket Stage qualification with a 25-10 Game 2 against Movistar R7 that they won in 23:38. BLG Elk picked up a quadra kill on his 12/0/6 Jinx; Xun found a 10/2/7 KDA on Nidalee; and ON went 0/2/19 on Lulu. BLG dominated R7 and took all 15 turret plates, only allowing one major objective to be taken by R7: a Baron Nashor steal by jungler Sebastián "Oddie" Alonso Niño Zavaleta. Strafe Player of the Game: BLG Elk, 2nd

Strafe Player of the Series: BLG Elk (21/0/16), 1st

Golden Guardians vs. GAM Esports

Game 1: GG wins

Golden Guardians won 19-5 against GAM Esports in 28:26 in Game 1. GG midlaner Kim "Gori" Tae-woo was 7/0/11 on Ahri and led in kills; bot laner Trevor "Stixxay" Hayes notched a 6/0/12 Zeri score; jungler Kim "River" Dong-woo was 4/0/5 on Viego; and support Choi "huhi" Jae-hyun controlled the game on his signature Sett, achieving a 1/4/17 score. GAM's only major objectives were three turrets. Strafe Player of the Game: GG Huhi, 1st

Game 2: GG wins

Golden Guardians beat GAM Esports 20-8 in a 26:56 Game 2. GG Stixxay scored a pentakill and went 11/1/3 on Tristana with the support of Huhi's 0/2/13 Amumu; top laner Eric "Licorice" Ritchie locked up Player of the Series honors on his 3/0/8 Renekton; and Gori added a 5/2/8 LeBlanc performance. GAM only managed a single tower in their losing effort. Strafe Player of the Game: GG Stixxay, 1st

Riot Player of the Series: GG Licorice (4/1/15), 1st

Featured photos courtesy of Colin Young-Wolff/Riot Games.