Rough start for Fnatic and Excel
LEC Week 1: G2 and Team Vitality Rule the Roost
After the first of the three superweeks of the LEC 2023 Winter Season, G2 Esports and Team Vitality stand above their peers - in game differences and in what the games actually showed.
It has been a while since LEC fans were able to see the much-hyped rosters for the winter split, but the LEC is coming up strong with not one, not two but three three-day superweeks to kick off the 2023 Winter Season. After the a brief single round robin, only 8 of the teams will advance to the second stage of the season, so every win counts. With so much on the line, all teams wanted to start strong from the first time they hit the Rift.
Day 1: So Close, Yet So Far for Fnatic
The season kicked off with a match between two teams we expected to see in a fight for the top 3, G2 Esports and Excel Esports. While XL had their moments in the top lane, G2's bot lane and jungle lead was too much and the summer finalists started their 2023 campaign with a win. In the next game, KOI struggled at times against Team BDS, but a key Baron Steal decided the match in their favor.
Astralis and Team Heretics fought tooth and nail in the next game, but despite a difficult start the Heretics managed to pull it off with a great performance by Lee "Ruby" Sol-min’s Cassiopeia. MAD Lions, meanwhile, had a fairly easy start to their season, getting an early lead against SK Gaming and solidifying their advantage after a quick Baron. In the final game, Fnatic and Team Vitality went blow for blow for much of the game and while Fnatic secured the mountain soul, two close fights in the late game went in Vitality's favor and helped Luka "Perkz" Perković and co secure the win.
Day 2: G2 Esports Make a Statement
Team BDS won their opening game against SK Gaming in a match that can be very impactful for making it into second round of the playoff. The game was close up until BDS stole a Baron from under SK's noses and then got a mountain soul. In the next game, MAD Lions continued their winning streak and defeated Astralis after a very strong game from Yasin "Nisqy" Dinçer’s Akali. Team Vitality did the same in their fight against Team Heretics getting an early momentum and, with their Braum and Sejuani countered TH's melee-centric composition in teamfights.
- Hear everything with the Logitech G Pro X Gaming Headset
The day continued with a brawl between KOI and Excel Esports, who fought a close game right until the end, where the Summer champions took the win after a decisive fight near the Baron at 39 minutes. While that was a close and long game, G2 Esports vs Fnatic was anything but - G2 got three kills less than five minutes into the game, two of which ended on Steven “Hans sama” Liv’s Draven, and his team was quickly unstoppable.
Day 3: Fnatic Salvage the Week with Key Win
SK Gaming finally got their break on Day 3, where despite what looked like a good mid-game for Team Heretics and a great showing by their top laner Shunsuke "Evi" Murase they capitalized on a big mistake and with good teamfights turned the game around. Excel Esports took a needed victory against Team BDS as well, and despite struggling more than we expected the dragon soul they secured turned vital. Astralis, meanwhile, were smashed by an on-point G2 Esports with an unconventional, but very effective Zac mid.
Fnatic looked uncomfortably close to joining Astralis with a 0-3 starting week, but despite KOI shutting down Martin "Wunder" Nordahl Hansen in the top lane Fnatic rallied and played a smart mid-game to secure the win. The day ended with Vitality retaining their winning streak against MAD Lions and they did it in style - outplaying their opponents hard in the mid and jungle and making a claim to be the best team in the LEC.
Read More:
- LoL PBE Patch 13.2: Buffs, Nerfs & Annie Changes
- LEC Winter Split 2023: Schedule, Standings, Teams & More
- Vitality's League of Legends Team Fined After First Week of LEC Action
Astralis and Team Vitality kick off LEC's Week 2 on Saturday, January 28th. Don't miss it!