If there’s one thing to be said about the LEC Summer Split, it’s that the top five teams look closer together than ever before. The race is wide open.
Rogue take the lead, Fnatic falter and MAD return to form
Rogue and Fnatic were evenly matched at the top of the standings, but things were about to change as they were to face off on the first day of week 7. Eventually it was Rogue that managed to quickly overtake Fnatic in their match through incredible performances all across the board, outclassing Fnatic in almost every regard. Jungler Inspired played a pivotal role in keeping Bwipo out of the game, not allowing Fnatic to catch up.
What a performance by @Inspiredlol.
I’m telling you: Polish Junglers. pic.twitter.com/DAmkS8eEKp— Rogue (@Rogue) July 23, 2021
Just as promising is the Rogue bot lane shining brightly through Hans sama and Trymbi, overtaking Upset and Hylissang in the grand scheme of things, while Larssen reigned supreme on Twisted Fate in the mid lane. Nisqy wasn’t able to find his best form for Fnatic on Sylas and Adam struggled on Sett in the top lane. A Rogue squad this dominant are clear favorites to win it all.
Rogue then went on to play MAD Lions on the second day, who came off a fresh victory against Astralis. While Rogue looked completely in control early on in the game, MAD Lions fought back from a deficit and their scaling composition allowed them to eventually get Soul and Baron, which they used effectively to push Rogue back and take them down in a convincing 2-0 weekend. It looks like MAD Lions are getting back on track at exactly the right moment, as playoffs are inching closer, with only three more matches to play.
Not like this…💔
Getting it out of our systems before Playoffs. GGS @SKGaming – close one. pic.twitter.com/XrzZpa2NU1
— FNATIC (@FNATIC) July 24, 2021
Fnatic on the other hand struggled all weekend. After losing to Rogue on the first day they looked to rebound against SK Gaming, who haven’t been having the greatest split so far. In a tight 36-minute game they would lose out however, thanks to a great Aphelios by Jezu flanked by the Tahm Kench of Lilipp and a great Syndra from Blue. Fnatic will have to regroup and come back stronger next week, or they risk sliding down in the standings. With playoffs and Worlds in mind, it’s not ideal.
The return of G2-0 Esports
If there’s one team that seems to be growing as the season progresses, it has been G2 Esports. While there’s no doubt about their individual talent, the collective as a team hasn’t always been able to live up to expectations. This weekend they faced SK Gaming and Misfits Gaming in a great test of what’s to come: a match they should always win and a test against one of the top teams in LEC right now.
We made playoffs, which is cool ,but they banned LeBlanc, which makes me sad LeBlanc can jump a lot and she does the best magic tricks which makes me laugh, because you never know what she is up to haha
— Rasmus Winther (@G2Caps) July 24, 2021
While the match against SK Gaming wasn’t always the cleanest, they did manage to win out thanks to Rekkles’ Kai’Sa and Caps on the LeBlanc. Jankos, who has struggled at times during the season, picked up the Viego and performed very well for G2 in the jungle, despite Treatz playing solid for SK on the Mundo pick. An important victory for G2 Esports, who’ve locked in playoffs.
Most of the eyes would be on their match against Misfits Gaming however, a team that’s been popping up at the top of the LEC this split and beat out Vitality on the first day. Despite Razork finding advantages in the jungle on Viego, G2 Esports flexed individual talent, with Caps keeping Vetheo’s Ryze in check, while Rekkles and Mikyx showed clean play in the bot lane. Wunder’s Gangplank also played its part in the win. G2 now comfortably sits in fifth place and will have an opportunity to climb higher if they continue to perform in the final weekend of regular play.
Spot six still up for grabs
With the first five playoff spots locked, there still remains a sixth. Astralis, Excel and SK Gaming and Vitality are the prime contenders, with the first two being the top choices. Team Vitality hasn’t looked so great recently and the chances of them making it remain small, similarly to SK Gaming, but they’re not out yet. Schalke 04 has no chances of making the playoffs anymore, but can still take games from those who need wins desperately.
Hello darkness my old friend pic.twitter.com/kUW6G9lDtY
— Team Vitality (@TeamVitality) July 23, 2021
Excel, Astralis and SK Gaming all face difficult schedules which all include at least 2 of the current top 5 teams. It’ll all come down to who beats who in the lower regions. The team that can upset one of the top dogs on the final day, is most likely to push through and reach that final playoff spot.
Also read:
- MSF Xani: “I think LEC in spring was actually stronger because there were more competitive teams”
- MAD Mac: “Generally speaking, I haven’t been super impressed with the level of the LEC this season”
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Image credit: Riot Games (Michal Konkol)