Sheep Esports – CFO Chawy: “The pressure is definitely on us, we want to make LCP fans proud. We should be in the top 8, maybe even top 4”
“The atmosphere within the team, the way we hang out and enjoy each other’s company, is something very, very rare”
Taiwan is booming and CTBC flying oyster are ready to show how far they have come. Carrying the hopes and dreams of League of Legends Pacific Championship (PCL), CFO is now launching straight into battle, with the aim of making history once again by 2025 Worlds. In an exclusive interview before the Swiss stage, head coach Wong “Coffee“Xing Lei sat down with Sheep Esports to discuss best-of-one matches, opponents they’re watching, and the team’s goals for the tournament.
How has your training been and how are you feeling before the 2025 Worlds?
Wong “Chawy” Xing Lei: “I’m really excited for Worlds, especially for the best-of-two first matches in the Swiss scene. That hasn’t been our strong point: we’re better in Fearless Draft, best-of-three or best-of-five formats. So we’re preparing really hard for best-of-one.
How do you think Swiss Stage’s best-of-one format will affect the games, especially regarding your two toplaners?
Chawy: We will see which opponent we are facing and see which toplaner goes well against our opponent’s. This is how we will choose. In the past, when we played best of three or five games, we could just swap players whenever we wanted. But for now, it’s just a best-of-one, so we need to think about it very seriously.
This time, CFO enters Worlds with higher expectations: many fans see anything below the top 8 as a disappointment. Do you agree with this sentiment and what are your goals for the tournament?
Chawy: I tend to agree because we’ve had some good results this year, so the expectations are pretty high for us. We will do our best and hopefully not disappoint the fans. The Swiss Stage is something where anything can happen, isn’t it? If you get decent enough draws, anyone can make it to the top 8.
How do you think your team stacks up against LCK and LPL opponents?
Chawy: When we play Fearless Draft, maybe we can take a game or two away from them. But in best-of-one, our team is generally not as prepared because our players need a warm-up: their mechanics and hands are still a little stiff, so they are not used to it. This is something we need to figure out how to improve. Our recent scrims with the LCK and LPL teams have been pretty bad. Their condition is really good, and I have the impression that at Worlds, whoever has the best meta-reading will have the advantage.
What was your win rate against LCK and LPL teams?
Chawy: Against them, maybe 0%. Because this is a best-of-one, it’s not like you can burn through their champion pool or use specific strategies. Best-of-one is more about pure mechanics, so it’s not going to be easy. To contextualize though, it’s only been a few days, so nothing to worry about yet, it’s a small sample.
With four CFO players and even yourself whose contracts expire after the World Cup, does this tournament feel like a watershed moment for the team?
Chawy: Not really. What I want for the team and the players is to always enjoy the moment and play our best in the next match. We don’t aim too far ahead or think too far into the future. We’re just hoping to enjoy the remaining games we have – and who knows what happens next.
Would you like to continue working with this roster in the future?
Chawy: 100%. I think the atmosphere within the team – the way we hang out and enjoy each other’s company – is something very, very rare.
The LCP has officially surpassed the LTA and LEC in Riot’s power rankings ahead of Worlds. How do you see the overall level of the region and do you think that the LCP could currently be the third best region in the world?
Chawy: I would say the LCP, LTA and LEC are pretty close. I don’t think we are definitely better than other regions. We just had better results and performances at MSI and First Stand, but I feel like they are pretty strong as well.
Which Western teams are you watching and do you think they have a good chance of going far at Worlds?
Chawy: To be honest, I feel like over the last couple of years, FlyQuest might be the best Western team out there. The G2s don’t work very well, although their condition has improved a lot recently. But I think FLY was really very consistent. Many Eastern teams are also afraid to play them, especially last year when they played Gen.G, with all their weird choices and ability to comeback. So FLY is definitely a team we’re all afraid of.
What do you think of Team Secret Whales and PSG Talon as the World Cup approaches? Given CFO’s dominance, do you think the other two LCP teams can also perform well in the tournament?
Chawy: Certainly. TSW has very young players – the whole team is very young – so they may lack experience, but they are not afraid to fight, and their teamfights are really good. PSG have struggled in the best-of-three and best-of-five formats, but in best-of-one they usually win the first game, so I’m not too worried about them in the Swiss scene.
What do you think of your current reading of the patch and the meta?
Chawy: I’m not very confident, because we felt really good before we came here and started playing with the LPL and LCK teams. Then we realized that we still have a long way to go, so let’s see what we can do in the few remaining days of training.
This time you seem more reserved about your expectations than at MSI, where you were more frank. Is this change in tone due to nervousness or pressure before the Worlds?
Chawy: More and more people are watching CFO now, and they expect us to reach the top 8 or maybe even the top 4. So the pressure is definitely on us: we really don’t want to disappoint our fans or our viewers, especially since it’s been a long time since our region reached the quarterfinals. The stress is certainly there, but we want to make them proud.
Is there anything you would like to say to your fans?
Chawy: We will do our best and hopefully restore pride to the LCP and our region.
Header photo credit: LCP/Riot Games
– Armand Luque –
