T1's Dominant 2-0 Victory Over KT Rolster: The Telecom War Continues

## The Historic Rivalry Continues: T1 vs KT Rolster

The legendary Telecom War between T1 and KT Rolster continued on May 4, 2025, at the Suwon Convention Center during KT's Homecoming event. This historic rivalry, one of the oldest and most prestigious in Korean esports, once again delivered excitement for fans worldwide. T1 emerged victorious with a clean 2-0 sweep, demonstrating their superior teamfight coordination and individual skill.

The match was particularly significant as it was part of the LCK Road Show, bringing professional League of Legends to different cities across Korea. KT Rolster's Homecoming event was meant to be a celebration for their fans in Suwon, but T1 had other plans, spoiling the party with their dominant performance.

This victory continues T1's recent momentum, coming after their 2-0 win against DN Freecs on May 2, where they closed out the first round with a 5-4 record. For KT Rolster, this defeat adds to their struggles this season as they attempt to find consistency in their performances.

## Game 1: T1's Methodical Dismantling

The first game began with both teams focusing on farming and lane development, with no kills occurring until the 10-minute mark. This cautious approach reflected the high stakes of the Telecom War, where neither team wanted to make an early mistake.

The game-changing moment came during a teamfight near the Scuttle Crab, where Doran's perfectly placed Equalizer (playing Rumble) helped T1 secure a decisive 5:1 exchange, immediately creating a significant advantage. This single fight completely shifted the momentum in T1's favor.

KT Rolster attempted to mount a comeback by initiating a fight around Riftwalker (formerly known as Riftherald), where they managed to take down Oner's Xin Zhao and Keria's Braum. However, Faker's Ahri responded by sending deokdam's Jhin back to base and turning attention to the objective.

Although KT's Cuzz successfully stole the Riftwalker with his Viego, and Casting's Galio executed a flash-taunt to quickly eliminate Rumble, T1 ultimately won the extended engagement. By the 26-minute mark, T1 had established a global gold lead exceeding 5,000, demonstrating their firm control over the game.

The final nail in the coffin came when Gumayusi's Lucian secured a double kill near KT's blue buff, allowing T1 to easily take Baron. With this advantage, T1 smoothly snowballed their lead to victory, taking the first game without major mistakes.

## Game 2: KT's Early Promise Fades

The second game started more promisingly for KT Rolster, who applied strong pressure in the bottom lane to take down Keria's Renata. T1 responded by having Oner's Vi gank the top lane, eliminating Casting's Aatrox.

KT continued their aggressive approach with a four-person dive in the bottom lane, successfully taking out both of T1's bottom lane players. However, T1 again responded by targeting Aatrox in the top lane, showing their ability to trade objectives across the map.

KT Rolster maintained their early game momentum, securing a lead in gold after winning a skirmish in the bottom lane. They further extended their advantage by taking the Riftwalker and eliminating Renekton and Viktor in the process, seemingly taking firm control of the game.

The turning point came during a crucial fight near Baron, where T1 completely reversed the situation. They decisively won the teamfight and secured Baron buff. Although KT's deokdam (playing Kalista) managed to kill Viktor and destroy the mid-lane tier 2 tower, minimizing some of the damage, the game had already shifted in T1's favor.

In the final decisive Baron-area teamfight, T1 eliminated all of KT's champions without suffering any losses, then marched straight to the Nexus to complete their 2-0 sweep. This comeback victory showcased T1's exceptional teamfighting abilities and their capacity to turn games around even when at a disadvantage.

## Key Players: Oner and Faker Lead the Charge

Oner emerged as one of the standout performers in this series, earning praise for his jungle prowess on champions like Xin Zhao and Vi. His map presence and ganking efficiency were crucial factors in T1's victory, particularly his ability to counter KT's plays across different areas of the map.

Faker, the legendary mid-laner, once again demonstrated why he remains one of the world's best players. His Ahri in game one was particularly impressive, landing crucial charms on enemy carries at critical moments. In game two, despite facing early pressure, he remained composed and contributed significantly to the game-changing teamfights.

Gumayusi also deserves special mention for his carry performances, especially his Lucian in game one, where he secured a pivotal double kill that led to Baron control. His positioning and damage output in teamfights were exceptional throughout the series.

For KT Rolster, despite the loss, Cuzz showed moments of brilliance on Viego and Sejuani, particularly his Riftwalker steal in game one. deokdam also had some impressive plays on Kalista in game two, but these individual efforts weren't enough to overcome T1's superior team coordination.

## Fan Reactions: Mixed Emotions

The fan reaction to this classic Telecom War was predictably passionate. T1 supporters celebrated their team's dominant performance, particularly praising the veteran leadership of Faker and the consistent excellence of Oner and Gumayusi.

On Korean community forums like Inven and DCInside, fans expressed admiration for T1's ability to remain calm under pressure and turn around the second game despite KT's early advantage. One popular comment noted, "T1's teamfighting is on another level - they can be down in gold but still win fights through better coordination."

KT Rolster fans expressed disappointment at seeing their team lose during their Homecoming event. Many pointed to the promising early game in the second match, lamenting that the team couldn't maintain their advantage. "We showed good early aggression but still need to work on mid-game decision making," wrote one fan on DCInside.

The atmosphere at the Suwon Convention Center was electric despite the outcome, with fans of both teams acknowledging the historic significance of the Telecom War. As one attendee commented on social media, "Even though KT lost, watching these two legendary organizations battle is always special."

## Post-Match Interview: Keria on Home-Away Format

In a post-match interview, T1's support player Keria shared his thoughts on the LCK's adoption of the home-away format, stating, "The home-away format is fun to apply to esports as well." He expressed enthusiasm for playing in different venues across Korea, noting that the change of environment adds an interesting dynamic to matches.

Keria also commented on the team's performance, particularly their ability to come back in the second game: "We remained calm even when we fell behind early. We knew if we could get to the teamfight phase without too big of a deficit, our coordination would give us an edge."

When asked about facing KT Rolster in their home venue, Keria acknowledged the added pressure but said it also made the victory more satisfying: "Playing against a strong opponent in their home territory is challenging, but that makes winning even more rewarding. The fans created an amazing atmosphere regardless of which team they supported."

He concluded by discussing T1's goals for the remainder of the season: "We're taking it one match at a time, but our ultimate aim is to maintain our world championship form and represent LCK well at international events again."

## The Cultural Significance of the Telecom War

For foreign fans who may not fully understand the significance of the T1 vs KT Rolster rivalry, it's important to note that this matchup, known as the "Telecom War," has deep roots in Korean esports history. Both organizations were originally sponsored by competing telecommunications companies (SK Telecom and Korea Telecom), and their rivalry extends back to the StarCraft: Brood War era.

The rivalry has transcended multiple games and generations of players, becoming a cultural institution in Korean esports. When these two teams face off, it's not just about the current standings or players - it's about history, pride, and organizational legacy.

The LCK Road Show format, which brings matches to different cities, adds another dimension to this historic rivalry. By hosting the match in Suwon as a "KT Homecoming" event, the league created an opportunity for fans outside of Seoul to experience high-level professional League of Legends in person.

This cultural context helps explain why these matches generate so much excitement and emotion from fans, regardless of the teams' current standings. The Telecom War remains one of esports' most storied rivalries, comparable to traditional sports rivalries like Real Madrid vs Barcelona or Yankees vs Red Sox.

## Looking Ahead: Implications for Both Teams

This victory strengthens T1's position in the 2025 LCK season, building on their previous win against DN Freecs. With the team now showing more consistent performances, they appear to be regaining the form that made them world champions.

For KT Rolster, this defeat highlights areas that need improvement, particularly in maintaining leads and executing mid-to-late game teamfights. Despite showing promising early game strategies, their inability to close out games against top-tier opponents remains a concern.

Looking ahead, both teams will need to continue adapting to the current meta, which has seen significant changes with recent patches. The ability to flexibly adjust strategies and champion pools will be crucial as the season progresses.

The LCK 2025 season continues to be highly competitive, with teams like Gen.G and Dplus KIA also performing strongly. T1's recent victories suggest they're finding their rhythm at an important time in the season, potentially setting up an exciting race for playoff positions.

As the second round of the regular season continues, fans will be watching closely to see if T1 can maintain this momentum and if KT Rolster can address their weaknesses to bounce back from this defeat.