Misfits vs exceL

For our first match of the day we have a rather fascinating clash between Excel Esports and Misfits Gaming. Excel, a team that was basically the laughing stock of the region for two splits in a row, is riding high right now with a stellar 2W-1L record. And even that one loss that came against Rogue could've been a win had they approached the late game a bit differently.

Right now, however, all signs are pointing towards them being a fantastic, well-rounded challenger; a contender that is bound to compete with the very best teams the LEC has to offer. Their play is downright fantastic (all things considered), and they've shown very few weaknesses over their last three outings.

They're coming in hot after dismantling MAD Lions yesterday in incredibly dominant fashion. It was a statement of a game, with Mickey locking in Pantheon and proceeding to style on both Humanoid and Shadow in the early game. To say that he dominated would truly be an understatement. In short, Excel won across the board, lane for lane. They had a monumental 4k gold lead just ten minutes into the game and made all the right proactive moves to transition such a stellar lead into a dominant mid and late game. MAD certainly tried their best to respond, and they made a couple of good calls in the mid game, but it just wasn't enough. The lead XL had was insurmountable.

Misfits Gaming, however, were also able to get their first win on the board, and against an opponent many deemed superior. Well, it was never a night and day difference between the two, but the point still stands. They were far more proactive and had a solid game plan in mind. Febiven, in particular, made all the right moves in order to elevate his team and push Misfits over the finish line. With three kills to his name just fifteen minutes in, he was set up for success on his frightening Qiyana.

The best thing of all is the fact that Misfits actually transitioned from one part of the game to another, they drafted a solid, thought-out team comp, and they fought as a pretty cohesive, five-man unit. There wasn't much you could fault them for, and while they didn't have the hardest of opponents this time around, they certainly got the job done in dominant fashion. SK Gaming failed to mount much of an offensive and were manhandled and outclassed across the board.

With a final score of 13-3, this was both a great (and unexpected) triumph for Misfits, and a crushing defeat for SK, a game in which they certainly looked like the worst team in the league.

This time, however, Misfits will have a much harder test in front of them: Excel. Unlike SK, they'll be facing an actual cohesive unit this time around, and a team that has sound fundamentals and more than enough mechanical prowess. Excel should definitely be able to get the win tonight regardless of how well Misfits start off. They're simply better lane for lane and have shown much more promise and potential every time they stepped foot on stage to compete.