Misfits Gaming remain at the top of the LEC after week 4, but this time Rogue have joined them. With Astralis and Excel rising up, there’s now a big pack in the middle of the table - and it looks like the second part of the LEC summer split will be spicy!
The League of Legends European Championship reached its half-way mark this weekend with the ten teams completing the first round robin. Misfits Gaming were alone at the top last week, with Fnatic and Rogue one win behind. Could they keep up the tempo this time?
Excel’s New Blood
In the opening Friday game, Astralis was the underdog against Team Vitality, but several early fights heralded that it was going to be a rough game. Despite Adam "LIDER" Ilyasov’s fed Lucian, Astralis found several picks and teamfights, getting an early baron and then a clean ace 22 minutes in to end the game quickly and decisively.
In game two, even a first blood did not help, SK Gaming to hold Rogue at bay. Despite the low-kill early game, Rogue kept extending their lead until a breakout fight 22 minutes in that gave them four kills and the Baron. With it, they pushed hard, ending the game shortly before the buff expired.
Despite their good run so far, Misfits Gaming were not prepared to take on MAD Lions and lost teamfight after teamfight ever after a delayed ace 11 minutes in. Time and again, the Lions would would come out ahead in the clashes, leading to a quick and decisive win.
FC Schalke 04 Esports got a good start against Fnatic, punishing them for overcommitting and securing an early cloud soul as well. Still, the game was quite close until a 29 minute fight where they caught Fnatic in their jungle for an ace. With an elder drake and Baron, S04 closed soon afterwards.
With two new players, Excel Esports had a trial by fire against G2 Esports - and they were on point. The mid-jungle duo made Rasmus "Caps" Borregaard Winther’s early game downright painful and even G2’s early drakes were not enough to keep them in the game. 25 minutes in, Excel used the Baron masterfully to draw out G2, before securing it and pushing for the win.
volibear x2 pic.twitter.com/83ggEEaNSI
— LEC (@LEC) July 2, 2021
Heartbreak for G2, Relief for Misfits
The first Saturday game featured a bout between Team Vitality and a resurgent Excel Esports. After a mostly even start, Excel started taking control from a series of teamfights where Patrik "Patrik" Jírů’s Draven got clutch kills. Eventually, he was too much for Vitality to hold back and Excel marked a 2:0 week.
FC Schalke 04 Esports started strong in their game against Astralis, but eventually the game was equalized. An unexpected Baron 27 minutes in gave the German team the lead, but they were unable to close out. As the game went on, Astralis’ clean teamfighting proved decisive and a 2-0 37 minutes in signaled the final push.
After their loss to Schalke, Fnatic looked like they had something to prove - and SK Gaming did not enjoy being on the receiving end. Gabriël "Bwipo" Rau and Zdravets "Hylissang" Galabov set the tone for a bloody early game and SK spent the entire game on the back foot before getting aced in their base for the loss.
PYKE FOR @FNCHYLISSANG! #LEC pic.twitter.com/1rgbnbDOlc
— LEC (@LEC) July 3, 2021
In the next game, Misfits took the first blood, but G2 Esports kept close and slowly overtook them. Misfits seemed lost in the mid-game as they lost objective after objective. It all seemed doomed when 31 minutes in G2 recalled. Misfits threw the dice and secured the elder drake, won a 4-0 fight with it carried out a shocking comeback.
The game of the week was a repeat of the spring final, MAD Lions vs Rogue - and it lived up to the hype. MAD started stronger, but Rogue’s picks and map pressure paid off, especially as they secured an early ocean drake. MAD was able to find a miracle fight and even took an elder drake, but Rogue held on - and eventually took the second elder drake for their own. The Lions held them off in their base with a 2-1 fight, but the attempt to get the Baron backfired when Rogue got a 3-0 in the baron pit and ended.
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The LEC continues next week with a match between SK Gaming and Schalke 04. Meanwhile, make sure to follow our coverage for more League news and analysis!