DN SOOPers 2-0 Kiwoom DRX — LCK 2026 Results & Stats

TL;DR: DN SOOPers swept Kiwoom DRX 2-0 in LCK 2026, surviving a dangerous early bot-lane deficit in Game 1 before crushing the rematch. The result mattered because DN turned a narrow pre-series edge into a complete statement, with Sharvel, deokdam, and Clozer delivering at every stage.

Key Takeaways

• Sharvel was the series MVP: his 5/2/11 Pantheon in Game 1 produced 84% KP and 8.00 KDA, providing the engage that transformed DN SOOPers’ most vulnerable position into a winning map.
• The decisive moment came around Game 1 objectives. DN SOOPers absorbed Aiming’s +1234 GoldDiff@15 on Lucian, then converted composed teamfights into 2 barons to 0, 12 towers to 3, and a 19-16 recovery win.
• DN SOOPers won the series 2-0 after two very different games: Game 1 lasted 37:30 and demanded a comeback, while Game 2 ended in 26:40 with a crushing 12-2 kill score. Polymarket’s 55% pre-match lean toward DN was vindicated.

Before the Series

DN SOOPers entered as slight favorites at 54.5%, backed by a 4W-1L recent series record and a +2,882 average gold differential. The logic centered on stronger early-game routes through DuDu and Clozer, while DuDu’s +690 GD@15 suggested a top-lane pressure point against Frog.

The pre-draft focus also proved meaningful. Orianna carried 78.5% presence and a 62.1% ban rate, while Ryze had climbed from 60% to 75% WR in a 4-game sample. Both predicted champions appeared across the series. Orianna delivered directly through Clozer in Game 1; Ryze appeared, but never became the series-shaping scaling answer DRX needed.

Game 1 — Setting the Tone

Kiwoom DRX made the opening game uncomfortable immediately. Aiming built +1234 GoldDiff@15 on Lucian, putting deokdam’s Xayah under real pressure and threatening to snowball the bot lane. Yet DN SOOPers refused to let that lead dictate the match.

Instead, Clozer justified the pre-draft attention on Orianna. His 7/3/11 and 6.00 KDA gave DN reliable teamfight control, while Sharvel’s Pantheon created the engage windows that DRX could not consistently punish. Peter added 0/2/16 on Rakan, ensuring every objective fight had another layer of initiation and protection.

That combination reframed the game. deokdam recovered from -1234 GoldDiff@15 to finish 6/2/8 with 74% KP, turning an early liability into late-game carry value. DN SOOPers closed with 77.4k to 67.9k gold, and their objective discipline made the 19-16 score feel more controlled than the kill count alone suggested.

Game 2 — The Pivot

Game 1 had shown DN SOOPers could bend without breaking. Game 2 showed what happened once they seized the initiative first. deokdam turned Caitlyn’s range into a punishing lane advantage, reaching +1495 GoldDiff@15 and helping lock Kiwoom DRX into its own half of the map.

With the bot lane ahead, Clozer’s Syndra became the stable center of every skirmish. His 2/0/6 line and 8.00 KDA meant DRX had no opening through mid, while DuDu’s Mordekaiser built +673 GoldDiff@15 to remove any dependable top-side contest.

The result was not merely a stomp on the scoreboard; it was complete map ownership. DN SOOPers took 9 towers to 0, 4 dragons to 0, and finished 56.1k to 42.0k in gold. The 12-2 kill score completed a 26:40 close and made the final 2-0 sweep unmistakable.

Aftermath

The sweep confirmed the pre-match case for DN SOOPers, but it did so in a more revealing way than a routine favorite’s win. Their Game 1 comeback proved resilience under pressure; their Game 2 domination proved they could convert an early lead without hesitation.

For Kiwoom DRX, the series showed that early lane success alone could not overcome DN’s coordinated engage, objective setups, and solo-lane stability. Aiming found a strong Game 1 opening, but DN’s collective response consistently outweighed DRX’s isolated advantages.

Polymarket Trajectory

Polymarket began with DN SOOPers as a modest favorite at 55%, a measured read rather than an overwhelming endorsement. Game 1 validated that lean, but the route mattered: DRX’s early bot-lane advantage exposed why the matchup was not a certainty. Once DN SOOPers converted that pressure-filled opener into victory, the series market moved sharply to 78% for DN.

The market then correctly treated the second game as confirmation rather than a fresh coin flip. Both draft-close readings favored DN SOOPers, and the roster signal was visible before the Nexus fell: Clozer’s mid-lane control, DuDu’s top-side edge, and DN’s superior ability to turn fights into objectives. The market read the winner correctly; Game 1 underestimated how hard DN would need to work for it.

Series Stats

FAQ

*Odds via Polymarket, 2026-08-22 13:12 UTC.*