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Tier-2 Teams Sweep the LEC 4-0 at the EWC Qualifier
Nobody saw this coming. On April 30, in the Losers Bracket Round 1 of the Esports World Cup EMEA Qualifier, two LFL teams did the unthinkable, sweeping two of Europe's top-division League of Legends organizations off the bracket on the very same day.
Solary took down Fnatic 2-0. Galions took down SK Gaming 2-0. Just like that, two LEC squads went home 4-0 on the day, and the entire European LoL scene had to take a moment to process what just happened.
Galions Didn't Get the Memo
The numbers going into the Galions vs SK Gaming series heavily favored the LEC side. Nearly 70% of our readers backed SK Gaming to advance, and it was hard to argue with that, Galions had only won 2 of their last 5 matches heading into the bracket. It was supposed to be a formality.
Galions, the EMEA Masters Winter 2026 finalists, came in with a point to prove and made sure everyone heard it. They controlled both games without hesitation and sent SK Gaming home in a clean 2-0 sweep, leaving no room for debate. For a team that had just competed in the biggest tier-2 Grand Final in Europe, maybe the surprise should have been on the other side all along.
Champions Don't Slow Down
Solary had a completely different kind of energy. Fresh off of claiming the EMEA Masters Winter 2026 title (beating sweeping Galions by 3-0) their first-ever championship after seven years of heartbreak, the French team was riding serious confidence heading into the bracket.
Solary didn't care about any of that. In the series against Fnatic, they brought the same ruthless efficiency that defined their EMEA Masters run, not dropping a single game. Fnatic, who had only won 2 of their last 5 matches heading into the qualifier, never found their footing. Solary made it look almost too easy, and the 2-0 sweep keeps their EWC hopes very much alive.
The LEC Has a Lot to Think About
Both Solary and Galions survive to fight another day in the bracket, while Fnatic and SK Gaming head home earlier than anyone expected.
The two teams that met in the EMEA Masters Winter 2026 Grand Final just nine days ago are now the last two LFL sides standing at this qualifier, and they are making the LEC look very ordinary doing it.
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Featured Image Credit: EWC
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