Overwatch League Coverage - Thursday 8th February

As the end of Stage 1 approaches in the Overwatch League the competition is heating up. Teams from around the world are battling it out for a chance at the Stage 1 playoffs this Sunday (12th February 2018) and an opportunity for that first place prize of $100,000. This Thursday (8th February 2018) marked the beginning of the end as the final week shifted into high gear, with 6 teams going head to head against one another today in high octane matches with no shortage of clutch moments and upsets aplenty.

Game 1: Shanghai Dragons vs Dallas Fuel

Score: 2-3

A narrow victory for Dallas Fuel here as their resident star player, Effect, could not play due to personal reasons. There’s no guarantee that his presence would have made the win any more convincing however, as despite not being able to claim a single win so far the Dragons showed great tenacity and skill, not to mention a significant increase in their teamwork. Ignoring the fact that neither the Dragons nor Fuel had enough points going into the match to compete in the playoffs this weekend, this match was still a thrill to watch. The Dragons comfortably won the first match on Eichenwalde before being defeated twice in a row on Horizon Lunar Colony and Oasis. They narrowly took the 4th match on Dorado and attempted an upset comeback on the final map of Lijang Tower before being pushed off the point after a desperate struggle in Overtime. A real nail-biter to open the day.

Player of the Match: Seagull (DF)

To those who recognise Seagull from his Youtube channel of the same name this may come as no surprise. His ability to adapt to the Dragon’s tactics and swap between his many DPS heroes gave Fuel the extra boost they needed, and when called upon his excellent Ultimate usage won many critical fights for his team. Seagull finishes the game with 28% of his team’s overall damage under his belt, solidifying his position as a monster of a DPS player for Dallas Fuel

Our Honourable Mentions:

As previously stated, despite their loss the Shanghai Dragons gave Fuel a real run for their money. The team’s main damage dealer, Diya, cannot be overlooked for this feat, as his truly incredible Pharah plays all but won the Dragons the first match on Eichenwalde. Oft supported by Altering, the Dragon’s Mercy player, he and his teammates made short work of many teammates, surprising many naysayers who thought they did not have what it takes. Dallas Fuel supports Chipsajen and HarryHook also deserve special mention for their outstanding use of support Ultimates, and Chips especially for his clutch “Battle-Mercy” on Oasis, allowing Fuel to easily take the match.

Game 2: San Francisco Shock vs Los Angeles Gladiators

Score: 1-3

   

A classic battle between North and South California ends in a decisive win for So-Cal’s own LA Gladiators. A true clash of titans as the Shock’s Babybay and Danteh go head to head with the Gladiator’s outstanding DPS’ Surefour, Asher and Hydration, resulting in some explosive teamfights and truly incredible plays from players on both teams. The Shock and the Gladiators fell in the middle of the League’s standings table before their match, being next to each other in fact but neither side was content to be seen as mid level players as both teams came out of the gate swinging. The Shock took the first match on Numbani comfortably with a 2-0 win, but their streak did not last long as the Gladiators take a landslide of a victory, led by the recently substituted Hydration and some powerful plays by the Tanks iRemiix and Bischu, on Horizon Lunar Colony. A very to-and-fro third match on Oasis ensues and the point changes hands multiple times before Surefour’s huge Genji Ultimates allow the Gladiators to take another win, solidifying their lead over the Shock. The final match on Junkertown is another tough game for both sides, but again the Gladiator’s DPS’ take the game for them, leading to a hard fought 3-1 victory.

 Player of the Match: Surefour (LAG)

Surefour’s incredibly impactful Ultimates are what ended up giving the Gladiatiors many of their round wins in this game, especially his Genji on multiple maps. Supported by fellow damage dealers Hydration and Asher, (the latter of whom really shone as Tracer in the second half of the series), Surefour was able to fairly easily clean up the Shock’s disarrayed pushes.

Our Honourable Mentions:

Dhak’s Mercy certainly deserves special mention, as does Nomy’s Winston and Orisa, for being the backbone to every major Shock push throughout, and both contributing massively to the times the Shock won the teamfight. BigG00se and Shaz together also deserve mentions for their excellent supporting synergy, keeping their extremely potent DPS’ up to win the game. Although already mentioned slightly, Asher’s Tracer was a particularly impactful force behind the Gladiators in later matches, as he was allowed to heavily dent the Shock’s defence multiple times.

Game 3: Los Angeles Valiant vs Soeul Dynasty

Score: 3-0

 A huge upset coming up to the Stage 1 playoffs, local team the Los Angeles Valiants make some incredible plays to take the win from world renowned South Korean team Soeul Dynasty. Perhaps a David and Goliath story to some, but many of the devout Valiant fans in the audience knew from the beginning their team had enough in them to take down one of the best teams in professional Overwatch history. A comfortable first win on Eichenwalde for Valiant sets the stage for a clean sweep, as Soeul are shown to be playing to a disappointing standard. The 2nd match on Temple of Anubis is a very even game that actually ends in a draw with both teams struggling to take the second notoriously difficult point. After a comfortable 2nd win on Oasis, Valiant save themselves and the Philadelphia Fusions from being eliminated by Soeul, although as the week is not yet over there is no telling what could happen to Valiant’s chances to compete in the playoffs. Even though they can no longer win the series against Valiant, Soeul still put their all into the 4th game on Dorado, but their efforts are in vain and Valiant takes their final win against Souel Dynasty.

Player of the Match: Fate (LAV)

Fate’s excellent decision making skills and Winston play are overall what took his team to a comfortable victory against who are widely considered to be one of the best teams in the world. His ability to know when to dive in and when to retreat for his team is truly standout.

Our Honourable Mentions:

LA Valiant’s victory was not down to just Fate alone. Soon stood out a mile from the crowd with his now-legendary Tracer skills, and supported by excellent Mercy and Zenyatta players Kariv and Unkoe they took their team to a clean win. Even though Soeul were not playing to the standard that they usually do in this series, some impressive pays were still made. Fleta’s always incredible skill as a DPS shone once again as he landed multiple air to air kills against Valiant’s Silkthread, an impressive feat in its own right. Finally, Miro and Zunba together created a very powerful Tank duo when supported by the well-known Mercy skills of Ryujehong.

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With only three days left until the Stage 1 playoffs, anything could still happen, with many strong teams still set to face off. Stay tuned to GameGrin for the latest coverage of the Overwatch League. 

Do you find the Overwatch League confusing? Then check out Alex's Idiots Guide to the Overwatch League.