On June 28, 2026, at the Daejeon Convention Center, the second match of the MSI 2026 Play-In Stage—a qualifier for the main Bracket Stage—saw Karmine Corp (KC), the pride of France and a fan-favorite LEC team, defeat LCP's second seed, Deep Cross Gaming (DCG), 3-0 to advance to the winners' bracket.

The first set began with intense trading but no early kills. The first blood occurred around the 6-minute mark when Yike’s Naafiri, deep in the blue team's jungle, was caught by a DCG collapse. Despite this, both teams traded objectives evenly, keeping the gold gap minimal. Even after the first teamfight at 11 minutes, neither side had suffered a casualty.

As time passed, the game remained deadlocked. Nearly 20 minutes in, the gold difference was less than 500. While KC had secured two Dragons, DCG held a slight lead in kills and towers.

The game broke open at 24 minutes when DCG attempted a Baron. Recognizing that KC’s Teleport was down and their jungler Yike was far away, DCG initiated, but they were crushed by KC’s counter-barrage immediately after securing the objective, creating a 3k-gold swing. KC solidified their lead by wiping out DCG in a 26-minute skirmish and, fueled by their growing lead, overwhelmed DCG in a 31-minute teamfight to march straight to the Nexus and take the first set.

The second game also began with KC in control. Around the 3-minute mark, the first blood went to KC after 'Shaoyun's' Nautilus was caught, and 'Yike's' subsequent ganks proved successful. In contrast, DCG took risks with aggressive dives to close the gap, but found little success. KC also held the advantage in the 2v2 bottom lane skirmish without jungle intervention, and by securing both the Dragon and Voidgrubs, KC steadily tilted the game in their favor as it transitioned from the early to mid-game.

DCG made consistent attempts to find a foothold, but their efforts were frustratingly fruitless. They missed opportunities to take down 'Caliste's' Zeri, instead conceding kills, and repeatedly found themselves in positions where even retreating was impossible. By the 16-minute mark, the gold gap had widened to approximately 10k. With a 10-0 kill score and KC controlling all Dragons, Voidgrubs, and the Rift Herald, the match remained entirely one-sided.

Even in such a dominant position, KC did not rush. Leveraging their superior stats, they secured map objectives and accumulated leads through effective split-pushing and tower pressure. Around the 20-minute mark, DCG committed all their resources to target 'Caliste's' Zeri, but the play failed; they were wiped out in the counter-engagement and surrendered Baron. Ultimately, KC overwhelmed DCG with ease, closing out the second game in 26 minutes.

In the third game, DCG's bold plays seemed to yield some results. They picked Pyke and secured a kill against 'Caliste's' Nilah, though 'Feng's' Jhin fell in return, resulting in a 1-1 trade. Despite gaining a slight lane advantage, the game remained balanced after 'Flandre' was solo-killed by 'Canna' Kim Chang-dong in the top lane.

At 9 minutes, DCG showed their best form of the series, finding a window of opportunity. By catching three members in a bottom lane skirmish, DCG halted KC's momentum and gained a massive advantage, briefly seizing control of the game. However, this lead was short-lived. In several subsequent skirmishes, DCG either lost from favorable positions or failed to capitalize on their wins. As 'Canna's' Renekton and 'Yike's' Wukong began to dominate with their powerful top-side presence, the balance of the game shifted back to KC.

KC displayed seasoned mid-game macro. They kept DCG at bay when they grouped, preventing forced entries while accumulating leads through consistent split-pushing. In the 22-minute teamfight, a pressured DCG opted to retreat using Ryze’s ultimate, signaling a clear shift in the game's atmosphere toward KC’s dominance.

At 24 minutes, a surprise initiation by KC paid off immensely. 'Yike's' Wukong delivered a perfect engage that completely overwhelmed DCG. KC secured Baron, extended their lead to 6k gold, and solidified their advantage. KC did not let up; through constant pressure and seasoned macro play, they maintained their momentum. A decisive victory in a 29-minute teamfight decimated DCG's ranks, and KC closed out the game at 33 minutes to secure a 3-0 series win and a spot in the winners' bracket. The 'Player of the Series' was awarded to KC's mid-laner, 'SAKEN' Kang E-hu.

Following these results, KC will face T1—who won their first-round match—in the winners' bracket, while DCG will face TLAW in an elimination match in the losers' bracket. Both matches will take place on June 29, as the four-day Play-In Stage continues. The Play-In Stage finals, which will determine the final teams heading to the Bracket Stage, are scheduled for July 1.