100 Thieves defeated Cloud9 3-2 in the LTA North Split 3 lower bracket yesterday, ending C9’s season and their hopes of reaching Worlds 2025. The elimination match came down to a tense Game 5 where one crucial mistake changed everything.
Cloud9 started the final game with a 4,000 gold lead after dominating an early Rift Herald fight. Thanatos’s Vladimir looked unstoppable in the top lane, giving C9 fans hope for a reverse sweep. But their unusual draft combination of Twisted Fate and Senna raised eyebrows from the start.
The game flipped completely when Blaber got caught out near Baron around the 25-minute mark. 100 Thieves pounced on the opportunity, winning the resulting 4v5 fight and securing Baron buff. From that moment, C9 never recovered control of the map.
Quid’s Yone took over the late game alongside Dhokla’s Gwen. The 100 Thieves mid laner has been dominant on melee champions all split, and Game 5 was no exception. His aggressive positioning and fearless engages shredded C9’s backline in every major fight.
The draft itself became the biggest talking point after the match. Pairing Twisted Fate with Senna left C9 with minimal damage output, forcing Thanatos to solo carry teamfights. When 100T locked in Pantheon, Gwen, and Yone early, C9’s response looked questionable at best.
FBI and Eyla continued their strong playoff form in the bot lane. The 100 Thieves duo consistently outplayed Zven and Vulcan in crucial late-game scenarios. Eyla’s engage timing around major objectives proved especially valuable against C9’s split-push attempts.
When Baron calls and nobody answers
This marks the second consecutive year that 100 Thieves has eliminated Cloud9 from Worlds contention. With both C9 and Team Liquid already out, North America might see its first Worlds without either organization since Season 2. The regional powerhouses have fallen while new challengers rise.
100 Thieves advances to face Shopify Rebellion in the next round of the lower bracket. The winner earns a shot at the Split 3 championship and better seeding for the LTA Championship, where the final Worlds spots will be decided. FlyQuest awaits in the upper bracket final as the heavy favorites to claim the top seed.
