LEC Spring Split 2020: Week Three | Day One Recap

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LEC Spring Split 2020: Week Three | Day One Recap

The LEC is three weeks in, and the teams are really starting to find their footing. The meta is continuing to form in new, creative ways as teams look to find the counters to make their mark. The first day of the LEC Week Three featured five games that showcased the best that Europe has to offer. Here's everything that happened!


Mad Lions v SK Gaming

League of Legends LEC spring split 2020 MAD Lions vs SK Gaming

In game one of the day, Mad Lions (“MAD”) took down SK Gaming (“SK”) in a dominant fashion as MAD look to cement themselves in the LEC. MAD make the Bard pick work for them as they pick up the first blood in the mid lane as Diana is caught out. By the 20-minute mark, MAD has choked SK out of the match. With 2-1 on Drakes and a 3k gold lead off just one kill and one tower, MAD has certainly turned up to play in Week Three as SK starts to look desperate.

With MAD ballooning their gold lead to over 5k, they set their sights on the game win. Now, as the team was moving down to the Mountain Drake, they chase down SK picking up three kills and the Baron as they look to push down mid lane and start off the week in style. SK had one last hail mary play but like their play this game it fizzled out. Overall, MAD took a little longer than expected to end the game. But end it they did as they move to 3-2 for the 2020 Spring Split.

QUICK STATS:

  • Time: 32:24
  • Kills: 11-2
  • Turrets: 11-0
  • Gold: 60k-47.6k
  • Dragons: 4-1
  • Barons: 1-0
  • MVP: Kaiser

Schalke 04 v Misfits Gaming

League of Legends LEC spring split 2020 Schalke 04 vs Misfits Gaming
Lurox was subbed in for Schalke in place of Gilius

Schalke 04 (“S04”) continues their terrible start to the LEC by losing their fifth game of the split to Misfits Gaming (“MSF”). On the other hand, MSF are starting to show improvements. First blood MSF on Febiven. S04 look to make a play by starting the Drake, in their hesitation they lose their grip on the objective and give it up. Rather than heading bottom and using Rift Herald, however, S04 decides to double-down and fight MSF in the pit, with the fight lost the team flees losing three in the process. The next Drake, S04 does manage to claim. The downside, they never really have any control over the Drake and get aced as they flee into the bot lane and jungle. MSF moved to 9-0 and into a 4k gold lead.

S04 catches Febiven in their jungle and with all five members descending upon him it looks like they’ll finally get a kill on the board. Febiven has other ideas, however, as he stays alive until his team arrives to back him up and despite the five v five-fight neither team loses anyone as the fight fizzles out. Another fight, this time in the top lane sees MSF claim victory before taking Baron Buff with victory all but confirmed S04 look down and out.

QUICK STATS:

  • Time: 29:35
  • Kills: 0-16
  • Turrets: 1-10
  • Gold:42.1k-56.6k
  • Dragons: 1-4
  • Barons: 0-1
  • MVP: Febiven

Fnatic v Excel Esports

League of Legends LEC spring split 2020 Fnatic vs Excel Esports

The game was billed as the Battle of the UK, though London might be apter, Fnatic (“FNC”) and Excel Esports (“XL”) look to fly their flag over Buckingham Palace until the two next meet. XL takes the early lead in the match shortly after Mickey is almost solo killed in the mid lane, Caedrel and Expect surprise Bwipo to grab first blood. Disaster struck in the top lane as Bwipo and Selfmade tower dive Expect, while they consume him with the Urgot Ultimate the tower saves Expect at the last second which allows Expect to get a double kill as the top tower gets two big assists.

Excel forces a fight at the Infernal Drake, Mickey nearly loses his life in the mid lane in the process but the objective looks too forced as they lose two and claim just the one in return while the Drake goes to FNC. With the goal even, FNC looks to go for the lead as they push top lane. XL is having none of it, however, as they claim two kills and take a 1k gold lead. Bwipo makes his way top and snipes Patrik under the tower as he begins to look scary on the Urgot. 26 minutes pass and we get our Baron fight. While the team fight is hype, the teams trade two for two and the gold lead is still just 1k in XL’s advantage.

Back to the Baron, XL claims the Baron but it looks to be in vain as FNC kills four of the XL team and pushes down the mid lane. With no one to stop them, despite Mickey trying to pick off a kill FNC took the game and won the Battle of Britain.

QUICK STATS:

  • Time: 29:46
  • Kills: 14-14
  • Turrets: 7-3
  • Gold: 52.9k-52.7k
  • Dragons: 3-1
  • Barons: 0-1
  • MVP: Rekkles

Team Vitality v Origen

League of Legends LEC spring split 2020 Vitality vs Origen

Team Vitality (“VIT”) went into the match with a 0-4 record in the LEC, and while at moments it looked like they could claim their first win of the split, ultimately Origen (“OG”) looked the better side and took the (slow) victory. First blood goes to OG as they three-man dive the top lane and a retaliatory fight breaks out on the bot lane as VIT picks up one kill in return before OG claims two in return. While it looks like the game is slipping by OG, they pick up an important double-kill in the bottom river and even up the gold. With 16 minutes gone the teams are tied up and the match starts to look cagey. Its not surprising when VIT is currently 0-4 in the Spring Split and any mistake would see them join Schalke 04 at the bottom of the LEC table.

VIT starts to look desperate, they claim the Cloud Drake but give up four members in return as OG take a 4k gold lead and stamp their mark on the series. The match continues to get away from VIT as they lose two more in the mid lane as the OG lead extends to 8k as they look to claim Baron and end. It takes them until minute 37 but OG does pick up the Baron and claim the victory. Though the match felt won for a long time VIT seemingly only has themselves to blame for this loss. The side clearly has much to learn if they want to get on pace with the rest of the league.

QUICK STATS:

  • Time: 38:29
  • Kills: 6-17
  • Turrets: 1-8
  • Gold: 58.1k-71.3k
  • Dragons: 1-3
  • Barons: 0-1
  • MVP: Alphari

Rogue v G2 Esports

League of Legends LEC spring split 2020 Rogue vs G2 Esports

Rogue (“RGE”) fought hard, they made G2 Esports (“G2”) sweat at times but ultimately, G2 maintains their unbeaten record as they go 5-0. To the surprise of nobody, despite almost losing his life in the mid lane, Perkz roams to bot at level 4 as G2 picks up first blood. Larssen stamps his presence on the match take out Perkz in a 1v1 in mid after going low he manages to stun Perkz under the tower and secures the kill. As we approach the 18th-minute RGE has claimed a slight lead of 1k and looks good for it, too. While G2 has been known this split for playing with their food, RGE looks strong. They are, at the very least, still in the game.

We get our five v five team fight and while it looks solid at the start for RGE G2 (Soraka) turn the fight in G2’s favor as they crush RGE, take the ace having only lost one member in return. The next team-fight breaks out and this time RGE takes it, with three men down on G2’s side RGE claim big shutdowns and a small advantage, while they do lose two in return they certainly take the most from the fight. RGE do it again, this time it’s more significant. While G2 starts on the Baron RGE start a fight, with G2 having a four v five advantage Finn carries the early skirmish and with Larssen joining the fight RGE takes the battle and the Baron as RGE go into a 3k lead.

G2 does G2 things and wins a massive fight at the Elder Dragon, acing RGE with just Wunder dying in return. They push the base and win the game, RGE almost holds but the Nexus falls. With G2 playing Fnatic on Saturday could we finally see them fall? Or is this going to be another dominant split from G2?

QUICK STATS:

  • Time: 38:35
  • Kills: 14-20
  • Turrets: 4-7
  • Gold:62.6k-66.5k
  • Dragons: 1-4
  • Barons: 1-0

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LEC Spring Split 2020: Week Three | Day One Recap
David Hollingsworth
David has written for games media outlets for the last ten years. With his first major esports role being with Esports News UK covering mostly UK League of Legends. David is also a member of the British Esports Association and is an advisor to them on World of Warcraft Esports. More recently David has worked for Esports Insider and Red Bull as an esports journalist. David later became Editor at ESTNN and now leads the current team.