On Day 1 of the LoL 2025 First Stand, fans will be treated to one of the most explosive matches of all time: TES going up against HLE. Who has the advantage going into the series? Find out in our match break down.
Image Credit: Riot Games
TES vs HLE – First Stand 2025 Preview
LoL First Stand will be starting out on March 10 and the best two regions will clash out on the opening day. LCK Champions Hanwha Life Esports will be going up against LPL’s Top Esports, in a match that might give us a major indicator on which region is stronger in the first part of the season.
In case either of the teams gets dominated by the opposing end, it would potentially imply other teams’ level, given that both teams had close matches with their domestic counterparts.
With a single round robin, each series will be crucial to determine the qualification. Additionally, the short schedule means teams won’t have much time to adjust, so early preparation will be key.
Match Breakdown – Which lane will be the difference maker?
By looking at the two teams, there are two unique strong points for the two teams. For HLE, both top and bot lane are looking strong, especially Zeus has been a key element to HLE’s success in the LCK Cup. He’s probably the best top laner for the Fearless Draft and with the nerfs to lane swap, I can only see him getting even more value for his own team based on how dominant he can be on isolated matchups.
For Top Esports, instead, their strength might be around their jungle-mid duo. Kanavi has been the key element to the team and Creme has stepped up immensely over the course of the LPL split. In contrast, Peanut has struggled occasionally in specific games and Zeka has often had to rely on his teammates to fix some matchups.
The most exciting matchup, however, will be between the two ADCs. JackeyLove has been on a rampage lately and he will go up against Viper, the most consistent bot player in recent times. With lane swaps gone, we should see aggressive trading from either side.
Overall, I think HLE has a slight advantage over TES based on how they performed in the LCK Cup. I believe they should get the upper hand, but it shouldn’t be a one-sided series, even if it finishes in a 2-0 score. If that were to happen, then HLE will be the undisputed favorite to win First Stand.