Dallas Fuel vs San Francisco Shock

For our first match of the day we have a clash between the San Francisco Shock and Dallas Fuel. Now this isn't that important of a match seeing how both teams don't really have a shot at reaching the playoffs due to overall win/loss records and map differentials but both Dallas and San Francisco never disappoint when it comes to high octane action so we're surely in store for some exciting Overwatch.

Both teams are however going in different directions. While the Shock are developing synergy with their newly acquired players (Super, Architect and even Sinatraa to an extent) and carving a unique place within the Overwatch League, the Fuel are imploding with every step they make. Simply said - they just can't catch a break. For a team so highly respected, so innovative and dominant even when playing abroad (back in their EnVyUs incarnation) they couldn't come up with even a single starting line-up that lasted more than two or three weeks. With xQc getting suspended and ultimately released from the team, Taimou underperforming and switching to the tank role, Seagull experimenting as their primary projectile DPS player (then flex tank), OGE getting banned for a couple of games due to boosting and finally exchanging a vocal, passionate leader in Custa in favor for Unkoe from the Valiant. The string of bad luck continued as they've recently announced that head coach Kyky and Rascal will no longer be a part of the team.

Regardless of the problems they had with Rascal, losing him is quite a big blow for the team and how effective and versatile they will be going forward in weeks three through five. He was their go-to player when they needed a solid Sombra or Genji and he performed admirably more often than not. In fact, Dallas looked best when they managed to pair Rascal and OGE with EFFECT and when they didn't need a projectile based DPS hero in their team comp they would simply switch out Rascal in favor for AKM who proved to be one of the best Soldiers in the entire League. It's not a perfect set-up but it worked incredibly well, especially last week when they took Seoul to five maps and almost managed to take down a surging Los Angeles Valiant. It was an exciting sight to behold, a roster that was so hyped even before the League began, now finally being able to impose their own playstyle and actually play at the highest possible level.

Dallas struggled from the very get go and even though they had a highly talented roster they never got off the ground. A couple of close matches here and there, some good individual plays and that's it. They're up against San Francisco and Houston in week three and even though they're not exactly top tier opponents at the moment they're nothing to scoff at. Weeks are passing and Dallas just can't catch a break. Without a head coach and a key DPS player it's highly unlikely that they will play any better this time around when there simply isn't anyone who can fill the void.

As for the San Francisco Shock, they're essentially everything that Dallas tried to be - versatile, flexible and threatening. They made the right moves, the right signings and they're obviously doing a lot of things the right way seeing how they have fantastic players in every single position. (and even a couple of highly talented players warming the bench) While Architect and Super didn't do that well last week it's still quite a small sample size and they've shown great potential overall. Paired with a fantastic trio of players that include the entire DPS spectrum and you get a very dangerous squad that is yet to reach it's full potential. They know that this is a winnable match so they're probably coming out of the gates swinging.

The sheer fact that Dallas is slightly favored here is quite confusing. While they did show great signs of improvement over the last couple of weeks it's still too early to give them any benefit of the doubt. With big changes hitting the team it's hard envisioning them being as competitive as last week without a couple of key components in their roster. That said, they have the tools to make this into a highly competitive match that could by all means go the distance so bet a lower amount.