Terran standout Lee Jae-ho edged Zerg veteran Lee Jae-dong in a five-map classic to reach the ASL Season 21 semifinals.
On May 4 at FreakUp Studio in Gangnam, Seoul, the third quarterfinal of ASL Season 21 saw Lee Jae-ho (Terran) prevail 3–2 over Lee Jae-dong (Zerg).
After opening up a 2–0 lead, Lee pressed his advantage on the third map, Silphid, using Marines and SCVs to pressure Jae-dong’s front yard. Jae-dong repelled the initial pushes, but Lee added a second Starport, built Wraiths and began hunting Overlords.
Lee researched cloaking and chased Mutalisks from behind. Jae-dong responded by pumping out more Mutalisks, but Lee countered with a ring of turrets around his main and used his Wraiths to blunt the aerial threat and push the Zerg back.
Pinned on the defensive, Jae-dong tried to harass Lee’s expansion with Mutalisks, but Lee held and pivoted to bio units to apply pressure. Jae-dong moved out to clear the forces at his front; Lee defended and probed for openings.
Riding the momentum, Lee launched dropship assaults with multiple drops, but Jae-dong stood firm. Eventually Jae-dong eliminated Lee’s force including tanks, prepped Ultralisks, and after Lee’s final drop failed, Jae-dong took the map — his first of the match.
On Polestar in the fourth map, Lee attempted an early bunker at the opponent’s front but saw little payoff. The midgame again boiled down to Mutalisks versus bio. Lee’s bio force struck at the forward expansion but failed on the first attempt; Jae-dong regained breathing room and began producing Defilers.
Finding his pushes stymied, Lee even turned to a Battlecruiser as a last-ditch play, only to lose it quickly. Jae-dong then followed with a main Ultralisks strike and Zergling harassment, claimed the fourth map and forced a deciding finale.
On the final map, Octagon, Lee switched from Wraiths to Valkyries, bought time with Vultures and simultaneously produced Tanks and a Science Vessel. He targeted Jae-dong’s second expansion, choked off his resource line and sealed the win to advance to the semifinals.
