LEC: Recap of Day One of the 2019 Spring Season

LEC Kicks off the 2019 Season!

The long-awaited first season of the LEC since rebranding from the EU LCS has finally arrived! Kicking off the European Spring Split of 2019 includes five games, all being a best of one series. The games today include FNATIC vs. SK Gaming, exceL eSports vs. Splyce, Schalke 04 vs. Vitality, Rogue vs. Misfits and lastly, Origen vs. G2 Esports. In case you missed the games, a brief recap of each match can be found below including each team’s drafts and some details on the matches themselves.

FNATIC VS. SK GAMING

Unfortunately, the actual first game was remade due to connection issues on the stage systems. Multiple pauses and reboots were used. However, there was no way to resolve the problems while the game was in progress. A remake decision was made and the first ~20 minutes of the match was terminated. The rules state that a remade match acts as a completely new match, meaning the teams were free to pick and ban from scratch.  Although a little cheesy, each team was able to put a wrench into the opponent’s strategies by banning the champions previously selected, especially the ones that had an early impact.

FNATIC Phase One Draft:

Bans:

Irelia
Xin Zhao
Rakan

Picks:

Lucian (ADC – “Rekkles”)
Pyke (Support – “Hylissang”)
Lee Sin (Jungle – “Broxah”)

SK Gaming Phase One Draft:

Bans:

Cassiopeia
Aatrox
Urgot

Picks:

Ezreal (ADC – “Crownshot”)
Braum (Support – “Dreams”
Sejuani (Jungle – “Selfmade”)

Fnatic Phase Two Draft:

Bans:

Corki
Hecarim

Picks:

Sion (Top – “Bwipo)
Akali (Mid – “Nemesis”

SK Gaming Phase Two Draft:

Bans:

Swain
Galio

Picks:

Lissandra (Mid – “Pirean”)
Poppy (Top – “Werlyb”)

Ignoring the remake, the initial start of the match was very slow, each team biding their time and looking to farm out the early game. Breaking the stalemate, SK’s “Selfmade” ganked top where an easy kill was found for “Werlyb” against opponent “Bwipo” who overextended a bit. Continuing to pressure the map, “Selfmade” made a play in the bottom lane, killing the over-aggressive Fnatic support. Sealing the early game for SK, a repeat gank down bottom secured another kill against “Hylissang,” creating space to take the first drake of the game. Another visit bottom lane from “Selfmade” once again found a kill onto “Hylissang” as he fell for the third time in a few short minutes to the enemy jungler’s pressure. Fnatic made the call to send some members top to alleviate the snowball of SK’s bottom lane to potentially get some pick off kills. A well-maneuvered fight found three return kills for Fnatic and the tier 1 turret due to poor rotations from SK at the cost of losing their bottom lane tier 2 turret. FNC looked to return fire on SK, taking the middle tier 1 turret as well as the life of “Pirean.” Now in control of the map, a drake was captured for FNC as SK licked their wounds. A poor engagement from “Selfmade” not being able to finish off “Hylissang” caused swift return fire from Fnatic as “Bwipo” himself engaged and found three kills for his team. As the midgame came around, Fnatic looked to start a fight under the enemy tier 2 middle turret, and some scrappy communication caused an immediate retreat to be called. SK seized the opportunity and found two kills on “Broxah” and “Rekkles” as they were fleeing, allowing them to capture Baron Nashor. The game ended shortly after, just under the thirty-one-minute mark. A hard-fought back and forth match saw a lot of brawling throughout even with a slower pace due to the many failed fights saw SK inch ahead of Fnatic after a poor engagement, taking victory over the 2018 Worlds finalists.

SPLYCE VS. EXCEL

Following a rough first game production-wise, yet another remake was called in game two. This time before it started, it seems an incorrect pick was made due to a unit issue causing an immediate redraft until that point to correct the error. Many problems appeared throughout the game as well from a technological view as some connection problems, and unit issues were revealing themselves more and more throughout the event.

Splyce Phase One Draft:

Bans:

Akali
Irelia
Galio

Picks:

Aatrox (Mid – “Humanoid”)
Caitlyn (ADC – “Kobbe”)
Morgana (Support “Norskeren”)

exceL Phase One Draft:

Bans:

Karthus
Cassiopeia
Lucian

Picks:

Urgot (Mid – “Exile”)
Rakan (Support – “kaSing”)
Xin Zhao (Jungle – “Caedrel”)

Splyce Phase Two Draft:

Bans:

Xayah
LeBlanc

Picks:

Sion (Top – “Vizicsacsi”)
Sejuani (Jungle – “Xerxe”)

exceL Phase Two Draft:

Bans:

Ryze
Lissandra

Picks:

Kai’Sa (ADC – “Jeskla”)
Rumble (Top – “Expect”)

The beginning of this match saw some blunders come out extremely early as the Splyce support “Norskeren” did not purchase items and only recalled at 1:20 to correct the issue. While this was happening, the Splyce ADC face checked river and was forced to burn his flash as XL invaded the enemy red buff. The exceL jungler “Caedrel” looked to pressure bottom lane early to keep his team ahead. First blood came out just shy of the 7-minute mark, trading junglers onto opposing mid laners, Splyce’s “Humanoid” getting the first kill of the match.  Two minutes later, a 5-man investment on XL’s part found two kills on the Splyce bottom lane, continuing that shutdown pressure against “Kobbe” and “Norskeren.” Not much happened through the rest of the early game besides “Caedrel” falling twice due to over aggression as well as XL securing both drakes thus far and rift herald. Around the 17-minute mark, poor positioning from Splyce caused a fight to break out in the bottom river, costing the lives of the jungler and support allowing XL to open up the middle lane, knocking down the first turret. Throughout the rest of the midgame, Splyce focused on getting kills and opening up the map whereas XL focused on getting drakes and some turrets of their own. Splyce now controlling the map, were able to find Baron for themselves as XL traded it for a measly cloud drake. Running down into the XL base, Splyce found a great engage on the topside as “Kobbe” on Caitlyn popped off, netting himself a triple kill to finish the game. XL’s promising start was snuffed out as their team lacked the experience that the Splyce roster had as they meticulously took apart exceL after every small mistake they made.

SCHALKE 04 VS. VITALITY

Schalke 04 Phase One Draft:

Bans:

Lucian
Aatrox
Irelia

Picks:

Urgot (Top – “Cabochard”)
Sejuani (Jungle – “Mowgli”)
Yasuo (Mid – “Jiizuké”)

Vitality Phase One Draft:

Bans:

Galio
Cassiopeia
Draven

Picks:

Lissandra (Mid – “Abbedagge”)
Thresh (Support – “IgNar”)
Ezreal (ADC – “Upset”)

Schalke  04 Phase Two Draft:

Bans:

LeBlanc
Kha’Zix

Picks:

Viktor (ADC – “Attila”)
Tahm Kench (Support – “Jactroll”)

Vitality Phase Two Draft:

Bans:

Rakan
Alistar

Picks:

Olaf (Jungle – “Memento”)
Kennen (Top – “Odoamne”)

For the first four minutes of the game, all was well on both sides. The only sort of real combat happened in the top lane as “Cabochard” and “Odoamne” poked each other down in a war of attrition. First blood came out at 4 minutes thanks to a poorly timed rotation from Vitality’s “Jactroll” who went to ward his bottom brush only to find a predator boosted Olaf in the bush. Over the rest of the early game, a few fights broke out giving Vitality a bit of a lead over S04 in gold, despite the Schalke top lane Kennen solo killing the opposing Urgot twice in lane and securing both drakes.  At the thirty-minute mark, the stalemate throughout the game was finally broken when a suspicious S04 found the enemy team at the Baron pit and forced them out. A missed baron steal from “Mowgli” cost him his life and an odd fight was taken by a cocky Vitality, losing all of their members, followed by their nexus. The pace of the game was very much neck in neck. However, Vitality made a few errors in their aggression, attempting to take the Baron buff four separate times, getting caught out all four times and eventually losing the game because of it.

ROGUE VS. MISFITS

Rogue Phase One Draft:

Bans:

Lucian
Irelia
Galio

Picks:

Urgot (Top – “Profit”)
Tahm Kench (Support – “Wadid”)
Akali (Mid – “Sencux”)

Misfits Phase One Draft:

Bans:

Cassiopeia
Aatrox
None

Picks:

Rakan (Support “Gorilla”)
Lissandra (Mid – “Febiven”
Sion (Top – “sOAZ”)

Rogue Phase Two Draft:

Bans:

Xayah
Kalista

Picks:

Draven (ADC – “Hans Sama”)
Lee Sin (Jungle – “Maxlore”)

Misfits Phase Two Draft:

Bans:

Ezreal
Caitlyn

Picks:

Varus (ADC – “HeaQ”)
Xin Zhao (Jungle – “Kikis”)

A well-planned jungle start from the side of Misfits exacted a free kill on RGE’s “Kikis” while trying to gank the bottom lane. Managing to bait out a hidden jungler, “Kikis” was caught with his pants down in what he thought was a three versus two. As the game progressed, Misfits took control of three infernal drakes, making this game all Draven and all “Hans Sama” as he was up four kills and nearly five thousand gold ahead of Rogue’s “HeaQ.” This lead dictated the game entirely as “Hans Sama” found a triple kill for himself and ended the game at the 24-minute mark. In simple terms, the match came down to the early mistakes that “Kikis” made as well as the smart jungle pathing on the opposite side from Misfits’ “Maxlore,” maintaining the pressure his team needed to allow “Hans Sama” to take matters into his own hands throughout the game.

A very happy Misfits Gaming celebrates their victory over Rogue with a dominant performance coming out of “Hans Sama” and his Draven pick. Credit to Riot Games via their official livestream.

ORIGEN VS. G2 ESPORTS

Origen Phase One Draft:

Bans:

Galio
Akali
Lucian

Picks:

Cassiopeia (Mid – “Nukeduck”)
Draven (ADC – “Patrik”)
Morgana (Support – “Mithy”)

G2 Phase One Draft:

Bans:

Aatrox
Irelia
Sejuani

Picks:

Urgot (Top – “Wunder”)
Rakan (Support – “Mikyx”)
Zoe (ADC – “Perkz”)

Origen Phase Two Draft:

Bans:

Nocturne
Yasuo

Picks:

Gragas (Jungle – “Kold”)
Sion (Top – “Alphari”)

G2 Phase Two Draft:

Bans:

Kha’Zix
Xin Zhao

Picks:

Karthus (Jungle – “Jankos”)
Jayce (Mid – “Caps”)

With the final game of the night, the new powerhouse that was G2 looked to prove themselves against the new Origen. With hyper-aggressive drafts coming out of both teams the game was already off to a potentially great start. At the 8:30 mark was when blood was finally drawn, OG support “Mithy” taking the life of the enemy support but got equalized with the help of “Jankos” using his ultimate ability as Karthus jungle. From that point on, the G2 super team established a lead off of their damage heavy composition and ran away with the game, ending with the scoreline of 5-19 in favor of G2. They ended the game in style within 27 minutes, toying with their opponents in the final moments. A spectacular performance out of G2 shutting down Origen in bold fashion.

A rough start to the season with many production errors occurring left a little to be desired today. Thankfully, the issues were resolved in a somewhat timely manner despite a few remakes during some of the matches. The games themselves were very entertaining as some very dominant performances came out from many of the teams. It sheds a little light on what the future may hold for the LEC.

This concludes the recap of the Week One Day One event for the LEC’s launch of the 2019 Spring Split. You can find the official YouTube VOD here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XzSZoDvAS1c.

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