TES vs. TSW produced one of the defining results of MSI 2026 on July 5, as Team Secret Whales eliminated Top Esports 3-1 and became the first Vietnamese team to beat an LPL team in a best-of-five at an official Riot international event.
The result sent the Vietnamese side deeper into the MSI 2026 lower bracket and ended the run of China’s second seed in a series that moved from upset territory into full control. Later in the day, Hanwha Life Esports swept G2 Esports 3-0, adding another major result to a day already shaped by TSW’s historic upset.
TES vs. TSW delivers a historic Vietnamese victory
Team Secret Whales did not simply steal a close series. Across three winning games, TSW repeatedly beat TES to objective setups, punished overextensions and found decisive fights before Top Esports could lean on late-game experience.
The opening game set the tone. TES found first blood through the bottom side, but TSW quickly flipped the map with Pun’s Olaf, early dragon pressure and a series of successful skirmishes. TSW finished Game 1 with a 29-6 kill score, turning a strong start into a statement win.
TES answered in Game 2, where Crème’s Ahri helped stabilize the mid lane and Top Esports controlled dragons before closing with Baron. That response briefly made the series look like it might reset to expectations, but TSW came back with stronger setups in Game 3 and again forced TES into uncomfortable vision contests around Baron and dragon.
Game 4 was the closest map of the series. TES stayed competitive through mid-lane pressure and side-lane trades, but TSW’s late-game decision-making held up. A key Baron sequence and catches on TES carries opened the final path to the Nexus, sealing a Vietnamese victory that will stand as one of the biggest international League of Legends results for the region.
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The full TES vs. TSW highlights show how quickly the series shifted from a possible upset into a controlled elimination win for Team Secret Whales.
TSW’s win also changed the tone of the lower bracket, as a team many expected to be an underdog now moves forward with one of the strongest statements of the event.
Top Esports are out after losses to G2 and Team Secret Whales
Top Esports’ MSI 2026 run is over, and the exit will be difficult to separate from two damaging series defeats. TES had already been beaten by G2 Esports earlier in the bracket, and the loss to Team Secret Whales completed their elimination from the tournament.
For an LPL second seed, the path out of MSI is especially painful. TES did not fall only to another tournament favorite. They were beaten first by Europe’s G2, then eliminated by a Vietnamese team in a best-of-five that now carries historic weight for the region.
That makes TES one of the major talking points of the event for the wrong reasons. Their individual talent was still visible in moments, particularly in Game 2 against TSW, but the team could not consistently turn leads, lane pressure or objective setups into series control.
Match stats from TES vs. TSW and HLE vs. G2
The numbers underline how different the two July 5 series were. TES vs. TSW was a four-game upset with heavy swings, while HLE vs. G2 was a fast three-game sweep with Hanwha Life outkilling G2 by 89-33 overall.
| Series | Result | Game scores | Total kills | Total game time |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| TES vs. TSW | TSW won 3-1 | TSW 29-6, TES 15-3, TSW 19-5, TSW 21-14 | TSW 72, TES 40 | 133:17 |
| HLE vs. G2 | HLE won 3-0 | HLE 27-19, HLE 29-7, HLE 33-7 | HLE 89, G2 33 | 82:44 |
TSW’s Game 1 was the biggest individual kill gap of the series at 29-6. TES’ only map win came in Game 2, where they held TSW to three kills. The deciding Game 4 lasted 41:55, the longest map of the two series played today.
HLE’s sweep was more one-sided by pace and volume. After a 27-19 opening win, Hanwha Life accelerated the series with 29-7 and 33-7 victories, ending Games 2 and 3 in 24:24 and 25:07 respectively.
HLE sweep G2 in the second MSI 2026 series of the day
Hanwha Life Esports gave G2 very little room to recover in the day’s other series. G2 kept Game 1 competitive on the scoreboard, but HLE still controlled the finish and then widened the gap dramatically in the next two maps.
The sweep was built on clean fights and constant pressure. HLE’s individual lanes found advantages, and G2’s attempts to slow the game down were repeatedly broken by faster rotations and stronger objective control. By the third game, the LCK side had turned the series into a short, decisive 3-0.
The official MSI bracket and LoL Esports schedule now become the key places to track how the bracket resets after TSW’s upset and HLE’s sweep.
The HLE vs. G2 highlights capture how quickly Hanwha Life turned the series from a competitive opener into a complete sweep.
For G2, the defeat was a sharp reversal after their earlier win over TES. For HLE, it was a reminder that the top LCK representatives remain capable of ending a series quickly when early pressure turns into objective control.
Why the TES vs. TSW result matters beyond MSI 2026
The historical weight of TES vs. TSW comes from the opponent and the format. Vietnamese teams have produced famous single-game upsets before, but winning a full best-of-five against an LPL team at an official Riot international event is a different benchmark.
That is why this result will be discussed beyond the lower bracket. It challenges the usual assumption that LPL teams can reliably outlast emerging-region opponents in long series. TSW had to draft, adapt and execute across four games, not just surprise TES once.
It also adds pressure to the wider LPL conversation at MSI 2026. TES had already shown vulnerability earlier in the tournament, and this elimination gives the region another difficult international result to explain.
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Photos by Colin Young-Wolff/Riot Games
Frequently asked questions about TES vs. TSW
Who won TES vs. TSW at MSI 2026?
Team Secret Whales beat Top Esports 3-1 in the MSI 2026 bracket stage on July 5, 2026.
Why is TES vs. TSW historic?
It is the first victory by a Vietnamese team in a best-of-five over an LPL team at an official Riot international event.
What was the final score of TES vs. TSW?
TSW won the series 3-1. They took Games 1, 3 and 4, while TES won Game 2.
Are Top Esports eliminated from MSI 2026?
Yes. Top Esports were eliminated from MSI 2026 after losing to Team Secret Whales in the lower bracket, following an earlier bracket loss to G2 Esports.
How many kills did TSW have against TES?
Across the four games, Team Secret Whales finished with 72 total kills to Top Esports’ 40.
Who won HLE vs. G2 at MSI 2026?
Hanwha Life Esports swept G2 Esports 3-0 in the other MSI 2026 series played on July 5.
What were the HLE vs. G2 game scores?
HLE won the three games by kill scores of 27-19, 29-7 and 33-7.
What to watch after Vietnam’s breakthrough win
TES vs. TSW will be remembered first as a Vietnamese victory that changed the historical record, but it also reshaped the MSI 2026 bracket conversation. TSW now carry momentum into their next elimination match, while TES leave with another painful international exit.
HLE’s sweep of G2 gave the day another major headline, but for a very different reason. TSW made history with a stunning upset over TES, while Hanwha Life simply overpowered G2 from start to finish. The next round will show whether the Whales can turn this breakthrough into a real lower-bracket run.
