Fnatic and G2 keep winning
LEC Playoffs: Round 2
Last weekend, Fnatic continued their lower bracket run by defeating Misfits Gaming and MAD Lions to ensure they will play in Malmö , while G2 Esports swept Rogue to guarantee themselves yet another final.
After the first round of LEC playoffs saw Excel Esports eliminated form contention after a dramatic 3-2 for Fnatic and G2 Esports and Rogue win their series to get to the upper bracket semifinal, it was time for the remaining teams to face off once more. In the winners' match, G2 would take on Rogue in a rematch of the Spring final (Rogue no doubt hoped for a better result), while Fnatic would have to fight Misfits Gaming for a top 4 spot that gave the winner a place at Worlds - and a match against MAD Lions to determine who would to on to the finals weekend in Sweden.
Misfits Gaming 0-3 Fnatic
Fnatic had a difficult time against Excel Esports in the first round (to put it mildly) but they ultimately won to earn the right to take on Misfits Gaming - and on Friday, they showed it was deserved. In the opening game, Elias "Upset" Lipp's Kalista got an early lead and helped the team dominate teamfights. The second game was a lot more contested, as despite once more having a better start Fnatic dropped the ball in the mid-game and had to go late. However, they managed to rally, and a single great teamfight near the Baron earned them the victory.
Misfits were now on the ropes and needed a change. However, despite an early first blood they were once more unable to get a lead - Fnatic's jungler Iván "Razork" Martín Díaz was on point with his Trundle pillars, and Upset made good use of the advantages he was given to carry the game. Fnatic dashed Misfits' hopes of a successful final split and secured themselves a Worlds seed.
G2 Esports 3-0 Rogue
Saturday's series featured G2 Esports taking on Rogue. The opening game saw the spring champions quickly take over after winning several fights past the 10-minute mark and transition this into an easy win. Rogue made the second game more competitive and it was close until the late game, but 37 minutes in they pushed too far and lost two, giving the opportunity to counterattack and end the game. They had a better start in the third game, scoring several early kills, but G2 equalized them and turned the game around after winning a big teamfight 15 minutes in and left them no chance afterwards for a convincing 3-0 series with a lot of off-meta picks.
MAD Lions 0-3 Fnatic
When they returned to the stage on Sunday, Fnatic had to face MAD Lions - and despite our worries that the veterans were not in good shape, they made a statement in game 1, amassing a kill and gold lead early and ending the game in under 20 minutes. The Lions hit back in the second game, however, using the pressure from their jungler Javier "Elyoya" Prades Batalla to dominate the map. Fnatic looked like they could come back, but the decisive fight around 30 minutes in gave MAD the Baron and the advantage they needed to end.
The series soon returned in Fnatic's favor, and while early on game three was back and forth, they won the decisive teamfight around the 23-minute mark, secured the Baron and controlled the map to coast to victory. Now on match point, they turned the aggression on for the next game, and despite getting punished a few times, they ended up overwhelming the Lions for the decisive win to take the series 3-1.
Read More:
- LoL Worlds 2022: All Teams Qualified
- LPL Finals | JDG vs. TES Go To Five Games Again
- Our Predictions for the LEC Playoffs, Round 2
The LEC playoffs continue at the Malmö Arena in Malmö, Sweden. On September 10th, Fnatic will have their rematch with Rogue, who denied them a finals match in the spring, with the winner facing G2 who are on the cusp of another LEC championship. Don't miss it!