Team Vitality vs exceL

What a truly phenomenal match-up, one whose outcome is actually a lot harder to predict than it might seem at first glance. Granted, you can say that for all of Vitality's games but the point stands nonetheless. These two teams are neck and neck, and that'll probably keep being the case throughout the rest of the split. Vitality have become a bit more consistent after bringing in Haru, but that doesn't necessarily mean they're any better than what was the case back in Spring.

Their highs might not be as impressive, though, and that's definitely something we'll need to keep an eye on over the coming weeks. And, well, it's still way too early to make such statements with confidence. In any case, they *do* seem to be better and a bit more cohesive as a team, so credit where credit is due. EXCEL, however, seem to have ascended to a much higher level. They're pretty darn adept at the current meta and have shown very few weaknesses thus far. We all know they exist, but they're not as exploitable (or visible, even) in the Best of 1 setting. They're much more capable than they seem and are no doubt stronger than the sum of their parts.

That's why it's so hard to say who'll come out on top here. Both teams have performed quite well thus far, but EXCEL *seem* to be a bit more dangerous in the current meta and are also playing with more zest and focus. That can obviously change on a whim but they're fed up with being deemed a gatekeeper and are obviously doing everything that is in their power to change it.

If they can get a win over Vitality they'll improve to 3W-1L and, in doing so, make one heck of a statement. They have the tools to do so, so we'll give them the nod on this one.