LCK Cup 2026 Playoffs Match Review: DK Reverse Sweep to Knock T1 Out of Contention

For the second consecutive LCK Cup Playoffs series, T1 entered as favorites. Despite their hiccup against FearX, many expected them to beat Dplus KIA. However, that was not the case. Even after surging to a 2-0 lead, T1 could not close out the series. DK fought back with measured macro and teamfighting. The win marks DK’s first-ever LCK reverse sweep and the first time since 2016 that a team has achieved a reverse sweep against T1.

LCK Cup 2026 Playoffs: T1 Versus Dplus KIA Match Review

Ambessa from League of Legends Played in the LCK — Image of Ambessa, courtesy of Riot Games

Game One Draft

Dplus KIA – Blue Side

K’Sante
Jarvan IV
Orianna
Ashe
Seraphine

T1 – First Pick

Rumble
Xin Zho
Azir
Zeri
Yuumi

Game One Summary

Career roots Keria as he tries to re-attach to Peyz. As a result, they pick up the kill. Peyz and Keria outplayed in the 2v2 to force Smash and Career under their tower. Oner shows up to earn two kills. Peyz continues to pick up kills in the mid-game, and it becomes a terrifying prospect for DK. The map is on fire for DK as T1 can go whenever they want to win the fight.

Peyz has three items at 20 minutes. The T1 circus rears its head as T1 gives over a couple of unnecessary kills. Career dies, and T1 takes the advantage over Baron. DK tries to contest, but they lose the fight and the objective. More happy gaming takes for T1 as they lose kills across the map. Eventually, T1 stabilizes and closes out the game.

Total Apex Ratings

Doran – 7
Oner – 8
Faker – 6
Peyz – 7
Keria – 7

Dplus KIA

Siwoo – 5
Lucid – 5
ShowMaker – 6
Smash – 5
Career – 4

Game Two Draft

Dplus KIA – Blue Side

Sion
Lee Sin
Ryze
Ezreal
Blitzcrank

T1 – First Pick

Jayce
Pantheon
Taliyah
Yunara
Karma

Game Two Summary

Career lands a hook, Keria, without a flash, and helps Lucid pick up First Blood. The early game is in DK’s hands with Lucid earning three kills without a response. T1 finally managed to connect to the game and even out the gold lead. Faker and Oner work together to pick off DK one by one. The game becomes messy as the teams trade kills. T1 crushes DK in the mid-lane fight and moves towards the Baron. The lead continues to grow, but they do not end the game until the second Baron push.

Total Apex Ratings

Doran – 8
Oner – 7
Faker – 8
Peyz – 7
Keria – 8

Dplus KIA

Siwoo – 5
Lucid – 6
ShowMaker – 4
Smash – 5
Career – 4

Game Three Draft

T1 – Blue Side

Renekton
Kha’Zix
Twisted Fate
Aphelios
Lulu

Dplus KIA – First Pick

Olaf
Ambessa
Ahri
Lucian
Nami

Game Three Summary

Faker ults to the top lane to help Doran secure the First Blood Kill. Once again, the teams trade kills throughout the map. Most importantly, Doran has a 1.7k gold lead that includes a solo kill on Siwoo. It continues to grow with some attention from Oner, who secures another kill on Siwoo. As a result, Doran takes the entirety of the bot lane Tier Two Tower. The action slows down in the mid-game, T1 holding a gold lead. T1 forces another Baron, but it goes awry. They lose everyone except Oner. T1 has to give up the Infernal Soul. DK does not give T1 a chance to end the series, and we go to game four.

Total Apex Ratings

Doran – 6
Oner – 4
Faker – 4
Peyz – 4
Keria – 5

Dplus KIA

Siwoo – 6
Lucid – 9
ShowMaker – 8
Smash – 8
Career – 7

Player of the game – Lucid

Game Four Draft

Dplus KIA – Blue Side

Gnar
Wukong
Cassiopeia
Sivir
Alistar

T1 – First Pick

Sylas
Zaahen
Galio
Varus
Rakan

Game Four Summary

Oner burns ShowMaker’s flash and then shows up a second time for the First Blood kills. Lucid tries to respond, but Oner lives, and Lucid dies. Oner is everywhere on the map again, to carry T1 to a 2k gold lead. T1 throws away their lead with a misplayed fight on the Rift Herald. DK gets two Drakes to be on Infernal Soul point, but they both fight. T1 tries to take Baron, but they DK respond. DK kills three members in trade for one. Faker dies on the Infernal Soul spawn, and T1 does not try to fight. T1 to make a desperate play, but it fails, and we go to Silver Scrapes.

Total Apex Ratings

Doran – 4
Oner – 7
Faker – 6
Peyz – 6
Keria – 5

Dplus KIA

Siwoo – 7
Lucid – 8
ShowMaker – 5
Smash – 8
Career – 6

Player of the game – Lucid

Game Five Draft

Dplus KIA – Blue Side

Gwen
Maokai
Tristana
Miss Fortune
Neeko

T1 – First Pick

Kennen
Aatrox
Anivia
Kalista
Renata Glasc

Game Five Summary

Oner splits the map by starting in Lucid’s red-side jungle. After clearing three camps, he ganks mid for the First Blood Kill. Lucid helps Siwoo build a lead in the top lane. A top dive turns into a solo kill for Siwoo. DK stops the Drake stacking from T1 and trades up in kills during the fight. Doran dies in the Drake fight, which allows DK to move to Mountain Soul point. They move to Baron and can get the Void objective. DK ends the game to complete the reverse sweep.

Total Apex Ratings

Doran – 4
Oner – 5
Faker – 6
Peyz – 5
Keria – 6

Dplus KIA

Siwoo – 7
Lucid – 8
ShowMaker – 4
Smash – 6
Career – 6

Player of the game – Lucid

Series Summary

DK pulled off a reverse sweep beating T1 3-2 in the LCK Cup Playoffs — Image of DK beating T1, courtesy of the LCK/Riot Games

After two games in the LCK Cup series, DK looked dead and buried. They made numerous mistakes that T1 punished, allowing them to surge to a 2-0 lead. Something must have changed in the break between games two and three. They had a more calculated approach for the rest of the series. They set up well on objectives and often positioned themselves better than T1 did. The majority of the time, T1 had to give objectives for this reason.

Lucid was instrumental in DK’s reverse sweep. His ability to outsmite Oner on most Drakes meant that DK always had the Soul win condition to play around. His teamfight was also incredible. For T1, they did not answer the questions surrounding them. Their drafting remains weak, and their positioning and priority on objectives faltered. They will now have two months to work on these issues before returning to the LCK.

Total Apex Series Ratings