On September 29, in Match 4 of the Google Play ASL Season 22 quarterfinals held at FreecUP Studio in Daechi-dong, Seoul, 'Iron Wall' Kim Min-chul defeated Shin Sang-moon 3-0 to advance to the semifinals.
Shin Sang-moon opted for a mechanic strategy, walling off his natural expansion, building a Factory before expanding, and producing Goliaths following a Factory Double opening. Kim Min-chul dealt heavy damage using a 2-Hatchery Mutalisk opening before a large group of Goliaths could accumulate, while safely securing an additional expansion. Kim Min-chul then seized control of the game by continuously finding openings to inflict heavy damage with his Mutalisks.
Falling far behind, Shin Sang-moon stayed on just two Factories, produced Science Vessels, and made a late transition to Bio to gather a powerful main army. With unit composition counters on his side, Shin Sang-moon's army was quite formidable, pushing all the way into Kim Min-chul's natural expansion and engaging in a strong battle. However, the deficit was already too large to bridge, and Kim Min-chul, who eventually added Defilers to his army, secured the win.
In Game 2, Shin Sang-moon built a proxy Barracks in the center, gaining a significant early lead and shaping the match to his liking. Rather than engaging in a rich macro game, he dragged out a low-economy fight centered on main-base resources. Although at a disadvantage, the Zerg player gradually recovered by inflicting damage with Mutalisks. Outmaneuvering his opponent, Kim Min-chul overcame his early handicap to claim Game 2 as well, taking a 2-0 lead.
In Game 3, Kim Min-chul opened with a safe Overpool, while Shin Sang-moon walled his entrance and built a hidden proxy Factory near the Zerg main base. However, the meticulous Kim Min-chul spotted the Factory with Zerglings and forced its cancellation, turning the match heavily in his favor. Shin Sang-moon's strategy of relying on tech and proxy Factory harassment failed completely, leaving him in the worst possible situation with both a delayed expansion and delayed tech.
Shin Sang-moon belatedly took his natural expansion and prepared a Goliath-focused mechanic composition. However, Zerg's massive lead remained unchanged. Upon scouting the mechanic army, Kim Min-chul produced multiple Queens to easily handle the opposing forces, securing a clean 3-0 sweep to advance to the semifinals, where he will face Park Sang-hyun.
