The regular season of the spring split in the League of Legends European Championship, or LEC for short, is nearing its end. G2 secured the top spot and Origen and Fnatic fill out the Top 3, but an unexpected loss by Rogue made the fight for the lower playoff seeds that much more unpredictable.
Disjointed Rogue stumble against SK
The evening’s games were again played online and the program started with SK Gaming taking on the favorites Rogue, who picked what looked like a tank-heavy teamfight composition.
It looked good for Rogue at the start even though SK had a better early-game squad. Emil “Larssen” Larsson’s Irelia even picked first blood in a chase in the bottom lane but she overextended and fell to Juš “Crownshot” Marušič’s Varus. The two teams were virtually even as they came into the mid game but a series of mistakes by Rogue saw the scales tip.
The favorites tried to reassert control with a gank on Toni “Sacre” Sabalić's Gangplank but it took them too long to kill him and SK collapsed with a vengeance. The German squad took three kills and followed up with a teleport gank that saw them take two more and a free baron.
SK dominated the map, eventually taking an air soul and another baron. Rogue finally contested them at the Elder Dragon, but it was too late. SK took the buff alongside three kills and quickly ended the game.
While this victory is mostly a matter of pride for the German team which had not won a game since Week 3, the loss matters a lot for Rogue who stood as favorites to take the fourth spot before that day but are now much more vulnerable.
Messy win for Misfits
The second game saw another Top 4 contender – Misfits Gaming – take on last-place Team Vitality.
Misfits jungler Iván “Razork” Martín Díaz got the ball rolling with a good gank top that secured first blood before adding the Rift Herald to his tally. This pushed his team to a lead that stayed around 2K for much of the early game.
While Misfits took down all outer turrets in the first 20 minutes, Vitality succeeded in slowing down the mid game with good waveclear and several good picks. Misfits would take two Barons and a mountain soul but it was not enough to put Vitality down.
It all came down to a big fight near the Elder Dragon and a split call by the French team, who contested as four while top laner Lucas “Cabochard“ Simon-Meslet was split-pushing. Misfits mid-laner Fabian “Febiven” Diepstraten made up for his early-game mistakes by getting four kills and this finally let the rabbits win the race.
Vitality remain with only one win for the split while Misfits take a key win to remain in contention for fourth place before their showdown with G2 tomorrow.
G2 take down Schalke to secure first place
It was time to get serious for G2 Esports as a win against FC Schalke 04 would guarantee their top spot for the playoffs.
The 2019 LEC champions started very aggressively and had a 4K gold lead 12 minutes in. But just then, Schalke got a great fight near the dragon pit that let them take several kills back and clawed their way back into the game over the next few minutes.
Still, the champions' superior teamfighting and map movement let them extend their lead and inch towards a soul buff as the mid game progressed.
G2 snuck in a baron 29 minutes in but Schalke were ready to fight. The German team got a key victory, denying the buff to three opponents. Eventually, however, the champions' damage-heavy team would prove to be too much. G2 would take two inhibitors despite heavy resistance by Schalke.
The final confrontation came as the teams were facing off in the mid lane. Luka “PERKZ” Perković flanked on Akali and deleted Nihat “Innaxe” Aliev's Ziggs. With two more kills and most of Schalke's waveclear removed, G2 ended the game and put a stop to any chances of Origen or Fnatic wresting the top spot.
Excel with no answer to Origen
It was a clash of two meticulous teamfighters as Origen faced off against Excel Esports, and the teams did not disappoint.
Neither team would do anything rash and a series of good defensive plays delayed the first blood for some 14 minutes. Then, Origen punished their opponent's aggression in the bottom lane with two kills and a tower. The favorites amassed a 2K gold lead from this fight and soon showcased their ability to get the most of an advantage.
OG's lead grew off the next several fights and eventually, a series of kills 25 minutes in resulted in them taking two inhibitors. Excel were on the ropes and while they won a key defensive fight around the 27-minute mark, they could only secure a single kill as Origen disengaged with blinking health bars.
The favorites were soon back on the offense and added a cloud soul and a baron to their tally before decisively ending the game. With this win, Origen are now in a position to contest for second place.
Fnatic dispatch MAD Lions
The evening closed with Fnatic taking on a MAD Lions team fresh from a 2-0 week.
The early game was heavily contested and the Lions secured a key first blood when Martin “Rekkles” Larsson overcommitted for a kill between the towers. The game remained close and fifteen minutes in, Fnatic were slightly behind in gold but with the two early drakes. Despite the mostly even gold, Fnatic's drake advantage threatened to become overwhelming.
This forced MAD to contest the potential ocean soul 23 minutes in only to lose three and the objective. Fnatic not only secured the Baron despite Zhiqiang “Shad0w” Zhao jumping in the pit, but then won a running battle when MAD interrupted some of the recalls. Soon, the Lions were on the ropes, down 7K gold and with one broken inhibitor.
Fnatic needed one more fight and they got it around the Elder Dragon at 30 minutes. Fancy footwork and an overwhelming advantage saw the favorites ace their opponents to close the game and keep the race for second place going.
The games continued on Saturday and several of the rivalries will come down to the wire, with potential ties for both second and fourth place. True to the old “EU loves ties” meme, the LEC promises excitement to the end.
And if you’re not exactly sure how the LEC works, here is a short explanation.
