LEC Week 7 Day 2 recap: All but wrapped up.

- Edward Brady

The final day of week 7 of the European League of Legends Championship has wrapped up and things are starting to look very clear in some ways. Although some teams haven’t been mathematically eliminated, these games did a good job in showing who is likely to move on. I will be breaking down the results of each game in depth and giving a quick headline of how it went.

Let’s get started...

Game 1 Vitality (8-7) > Misfits Gaming (10-5)

TLDR: The Vitality everyone expected at the beginning of the season showed up

Summary: Amidst the turbulent season and the criticism from all flanks, Vitality decided to give everyone a reminder why most people had them ranked either 1st or 2nd before the season began. There weren’t really any glaring issues like so many of their previous games. The Twisted Fate for Perkz was perfect. Every time he popped an ultimate, Misfits would find one of their members dead. Alphari once again translated a good early game into a strong teamfighter on the Gnar. Selfmade put on a clinic in the Jungle. With this win, Vitality’s playoff chances jump to 90%>. While the memes would have been glorious if they actually didn’t make it, it is good to see these players that had so much hype surrounding them play such a clean game.

Game 2 Astralis (3-12) > SK Gaming (5-10)

TLDR: Astralis play spoiler and pick up a convincing win. SK lays an egg in a do-or-die game

Summary: In a match between two teams who were terrible at the beginning but managed to show some signs of a pulse in the 2nd half, only one team actually showcased their improvement today. SK went straight back to status quo. That being rolling over and dying. Astralis on the other hand blew the game open through WhiteKnight’s massive Graves. Zanzarah’s signature Trundle did far more the Gilius’s Volibear. It was a complete stomp from start to finish and didn’t even last 30 minutes. If there was ever any hope for SK’s Spring Split after that win streak, it died right here. Although they haven’t been mathematically eliminated.

Game 3 Rogue (12-3) > EXCEL (8-7)

TLDR: Rogue take care of business to lock upper bracket. The magic number evades Excel once again.

Summary: After a fairly one-sided loss to Fnatic, Rogue corrected their course by going back to the basics and running over Excel. While Excel wasn’t completely lifeless, it became clear quickly who the better team was. And they did end up winning the day. Malrang was back to his usual self as Rogue shut down one of XL’s biggest carries in Patrik. With this win, Rogue lock a top 4 seed and begin their playoff life in the upper bracket. Given their history with playoff disappointment it is good for them that they get that safety net. Excel may have lost this game and do have a tough schedule to close out, but given how the field has shaken out, they are all but guaranteed a spot. There’s no way Excel will miss playoffs with an over 90% chance to make it this time. Right?

Game 4 G2 (9-6) > BDS (4-11)

TLDR: G2 end BDS’s suffering as caPs returns to form

Summary: What’s a good way to wash the taste of blowing a 13k gold lead out of your mouth? Beating the stuffing out of a clearly inferior opponent apparently, if G2 is to be believed.

This match went the way a match between a team jousting for top 4 and the 9th place team should. Team BDS didn’t even get to pull their patented “win early then throw” move, G2 simply dominated them all throughout. The most notable member was caPs on the Sylas. After a few splits of consistency issues and people beginning to question his ability, he did a good job reminding viewers why he is considered as one of the EU mid laners that every other EU mid must measure up to. He ended up going 7/0/2 on the Sylas, picking up a quadra kill in the final fight.

This loss officially eliminates Team BDS from playoff contention. Given all of the creative ways they have found to lose despite showing flashes of potential, taking the spotlight off them might just be a mercy.

Game 5 Fnatic (11-4) > MAD Lions (5-10)

TLDR: Fnatic take sole control of second by hunting the MAD Lions to near extinction

Summary: It’s amazing how a couple of months and a few player acquisitions can completely change the trajectory of a franchise.

Fnatic came into 2022 off a miracle run that lead into a loss to MAD Lions into a Worlds run which can generously be described as “turbulent”. After overhauling a few positions and building a supposed super team, Fnatic look primed to take back the crown that has eluded them since 2018. Their beatdown of Rogue and their strangulation of the former champs is cementing Fnatic as one of the scariest teams to play in the LEC. Even if the standings say Rogue are ahead of them, the momentum is looking like this is Fnatic’s title to lose.

Meanwhile, despite maintaining 3/5 members of a back-to-back championship roster, and being the organization that has practically defined great rookie scouting and development, MAD Lions have continued their freefall that will likely end with them missing the postseason. Although it was a concern in the preseason, it has become abundantly clear that losing Humanoid hurt far more than anyone would like to admit. Not only because of his mechanical skills, but because he was one of the main shot callers of MAD. The team has looked utterly lost; the veterans are playing well below what was expected of them. The inherent inconsistency of relying on rookies to have breakout debuts has finally reared its face. It is a bit sad to see that the first member to ever break the old guard is going out with a whimper. And unless a miracle happens, they will just have to regroup and learn lessons for summer.

That wraps up week 7, and the playoff picture is clearly defined going into the final week of the regular season. Rogue have locked top 4, lock the 1st seed if they win out, but lose to everyone if it comes down to tiebreakers. For the trio of clinched teams in Fnatic, Misfits, and G2, the main focus will be locking that crucial upper bracket spot by winning out. Though all 3 and especially Fnatic can grab the #1 seed if they get some help. The goal for Excel and Vitality is simple: win and you’re in. MAD Lions and SK need one of them to lose out and win out themselves. And the bottom of the pack in BDS and Astralis will simply try to drag a few teams down with them.

The LEC will kick off its final week Friday at 11 am CST with SK Gaming vs Rogue. You can catch all the actions on https://www.twitch.tv/lec, the LEC YouTube channel, or lolesports.com.