T1 defeated TLAW in the third game of their MSI 2026 Play-In Stage opening round, clinching the series 3-0 and advancing to the winners' bracket.

With T1 one step away from the winners' bracket and TLAW pushed to the brink, T1 seized control early in Game 3. A psychological battle between the junglers at the start of the game quickly escalated into a 2v2 skirmish in the mid lane. With both the TLAW mid laner and jungler falling, T1 built a 1k-gold lead in less than two minutes. While both teams continued to trade blows, neither side found a decisive opening beyond a 1-for-1 trade in the bottom lane.

At 12 minutes, T1 secured their second Dragon, steadily accumulating advantages. 'CoreJJ' Jo Yong-in’s Neeko and 'Josedeodo'’s Nocturne both used their ultimate skills to attempt a turnaround, but to no avail. Regardless of the lack of tangible results, the teams remained locked in fierce combat. T1 maintained a slight edge, but the game continued in a stalemate where neither side could secure a significant breakthrough.

The situation shifted around the 18-minute mark. In a teamfight for the third Dragon, T1 secured the objective to reach three stacks, but they suffered a crushing defeat in the ensuing fight, erasing their gold lead and resetting the game. At 22 minutes, the game took a strange turn. As the fourth Dragon appeared, the teams engaged in a prolonged skirmish involving respawns. In the process, T1 traded kills but secured an additional Cloud Dragon stack, setting themselves up for a late-game advantage. To top it off, 'Phase' Kim Su-hwan’s Zeri racked up multi-kills during the fight, further boosting his carry potential.

At 28 minutes, T1 baited TLAW by starting Baron. Leveraging Zeri’s overwhelming firepower, T1 crushed TLAW, wiped them out, and marched into their base. TLAW attempted a desperate defense upon respawning, but they were overwhelmed by T1’s firepower at the fountain, sealing their defeat. With this win, T1 took the third game and advanced to the winners' bracket.