The loss left Kiwoom DRX winless across the two home-front matches and sitting at 3–9 on the season.
In front of a vocal Vietnamese crowd, DRX could not find a way past Hanwha Life. Tran, known as “LazyFeel,” put on a standout performance on Miss Fortune in Game 1, but his play dipped in Games 2 and 3 as the team ultimately came up short.
After the match, Tran told reporters, “I’m so grateful the fans showed up in such numbers. I’m really disappointed to lose 2–1. Winning is the most important thing for a player, but regardless of the result, I’m happy fans came out to support us in Vietnam. Personally, I’m very glad.”
Kiwoom DRX, which had been swept 0–2 by Gen.G in their previous outing, showed fight by taking Game 1 on Sunday. Tran said, “I think our draft and individual performance were solid. But our teamwork was poor, so we couldn’t show our best.”
As the LCK’s first foreign player, Tran was modest about his role in the league’s globalization. “I don’t think I’ve been that successful. I haven’t contributed much,” he said, before adding, “I want to work harder to contribute to esports. I’ll do my best to help the sport grow.” When asked about his next goal, he was direct: “To win an international title—above all, to win the World Championship.”
Fittingly for the final day of the home stand, roughly 12,000 seats were sold out as fans filled the arena. Tran thanked those who made the trip: “Not only Kiwoom DRX fans but Gen.G and Hanwha Life supporters traveled all the way to Vietnam. I appreciate them.”
Manager Jo Jae-eup praised the experience and pledged improvement. “You rarely get experiences like this outside international events. It’s new to have this during the season. The home match was fantastic. We’ll do better next time,” he said. “I’m very grateful to the fans who traveled so far. We wanted to give them a win, and I’m sorry we couldn’t. Next time we’ll show a better side with a victory. Please keep cheering for us.”
Hanoi—Kim Young-geonn
