Dplus KIA defeated kt Rolster 2-1 in the Legend Group match of the 2026 LoL Champions Korea (LCK) regular season Round 3, held at LoL PARK in Jongno, Seoul, on the 9th. After dropping the first set, they secured a comeback victory by winning the next two. With this 14th win, Dplus KIA has closed the gap with 4th-place kt Rolster to just one game, keeping their hopes for a top-tier finish alive.

In an interview with INVEN after the match, Dplus KIA top laner 'Siwoo' Jeong Si-woo looked visibly disappointed. "Even though we won, I don't feel great," he said. "I need to get back to the practice room, go through thorough feedback, and prepare well so we can return with a better performance," he added, showing his competitive drive.

Reflecting on the loss in the first set, 'Siwoo' expressed frustration with his own play, saying, "It's a shame I didn't play with more confidence during the laning phase." He continued, "Both teams picked champions with high mobility in the mid-jungle, but we lost the early skirmish at the Raptors, which allowed the game to snowball out of control. It wasn't even a composition we usually focus on in practice."

From the second set onward, Dplus KIA shifted their strategy toward pick-ban phases that allowed them to maintain constant pressure, forcing the opponent into rushed decisions while securing late-game value.

'Siwoo' noted, "I think we drafted well, sticking to what we usually practice. In particular, the pick-ban for the third set was very favorable for us. Once they picked an AP champion for their ADC, there was no way for K'Sante to be killed. Plus, we had priority in every lane, which made the game very easy to play."

The current LCK standings are incredibly tight, leading to a nerve-wracking race for position. While every single win is crucial for climbing the ranks, 'Siwoo' seems to be enjoying the pressure. "It's been a while since the standings were this close. It actually fuels my competitive spirit even more. It feels like we're climbing a staircase one step at a time whenever we win a match, which is fun," he said with a smile.

He identified 'laning phase strength' as the key task for surviving the fierce competition. "Our team's synergy in terms of macro play is already quite good," 'Siwoo' emphasized. "Our remaining homework is to raise our early-game laning strength and avoid falling for the opponent's traps so easily."

Dplus KIA will face kt Rolster again in their next match. 'Siwoo' showed his fighting spirit, saying, "I was frustrated that I gave up a solo kill in the first set today. I'll make sure to return the favor in our next match."