Dplus KIA powered through to a 3:1 victory against DN SOOPers in the lower bracket quarterfinal of the LCK Cup 2026 playoffs.

The best-of-five LAN series held in South Korea wrapped up in four games, sending Dplus KIA deeper into the lower bracket as their championship ambitions remain very much intact.

The series opened with a tightly contested affair, but Dplus KIA's superior late-game coordination proved to be the deciding factor as they edged out a 17:14 win in Game 1. They carried that momentum into Game 2 with a more commanding display, dictating the pace through strong objective control across the map to pull away with a convincing 17:9 victory and put themselves on the brink of closing the series.

DN SOOPers refused to go quietly, bouncing back in Game 3 with their most dominant showing of the series — a lopsided 21:5 win fueled by early skirmish advantages that kept their hopes alive. Dplus KIA, however, were quick to reset and regroup, responding in Game 4 with a composed early game before asserting themselves in teamfights and wrapping things up 11:5 to seal the 3:1 series victory.

Smash was awarded MVP honors for his standout performance throughout the series. The Dplus KIA bot laner posted an impressive 7.6/1.4/3.1 KDA alongside 83.8% kill participation and 33.2K total damage, anchoring the team's bottom side with relentless laning pressure and consistent late-game firepower.

With the win, Dplus KIA march on to the lower bracket semifinal where they will square off against T1 in what promises to be a high-stakes showdown. DN SOOPers, meanwhile, see their tournament run come to an end following their lower bracket exit.

Next Game Day Matches

The playoff action resumes on February 21 with the Upper Bracket Final featuring Gen.G.

The LCK Cup 2026 runs from January 14 to March 1 in Seoul, South Korea, with the grand final set to take place in Hong Kong. Teams are also competing throughout the event for two coveted slots at the 2026 First Stand.