Seoul Dynasty 4 - Boston Uprising 0
Seoul Dynasty continued its romp through the Overwatch League with a dominant sweep of the Boston Uprising to open the action on Friday at the Blizzard Arena in Burbank, California.
Is there anything that can stop the Dynasty? The answer to that question has so far been a resounding no, as Seoul has rarely been tested in the OWL thus far. While the Dallas Fuel played the Korean juggernauts close in a 2-1 Seoul win on opening day, the Dynasty has been living up to its namesake ever since, and this series was no different.
Boston may have shown some resistance early on during Junkertown in Game 1, but the Uprising never truly looked as though it had a shot at pulling off the win. At every turn, Seoul was extremely suffocating in its attack and defense, never giving Boston an inch to maneuver while taking out the Uprising's Mercy with frightening consistency. Whether it was DPS star Kim "Fleta" Byung-Sun picking people off with his Widowmaker or tank Kim "zunba" Joon-Hyeok going on incredible killstreaks, Seoul was bringing the thunder from all angles.
For all the good that Seoul did in this series, it's worth noting that Boston still put forth strong performances from a couple roles. DPS Namju "Striker" Gwon was on his Tracer for the majority of this match and performed well enough, executing key flanks that likely would have resulted in more if the opponent had not been Seoul. Tank player YoungJin "Gamsu" Noh also had a commendable performance, with his Winston wreaking havoc all throughout the front and backlines of Seoul. Despite the loss, Boston can walk away with a few positives to take into its next matchup.
Boston won't have long to bounce back until it takes on the San Francisco Shock at 6 p.m. ET on Saturday, while Seoul will have a few days until its matchup with the Shanghai Dragons at 9 p.m. ET Wednesday.
-- Wyatt Donigan
Florida Mayhem 4 - Shanghai Dragons 0
In a battle of winless teams, the Florida Mayhem shed that mantle with aplomb on Day 3 of the second week of the Overwatch League, slaying the Shanghai Dragons in a 4-0 sweep in the Blizzard Arena.
The way these teams held themselves during their introductions was an omen of things to come. Florida came in with smiles and coordinated dance moves, seemingly oblivious to its winless record. In stark contrast, Shanghai looked sullen during its introduction, which reflected itself in the team's play.
Throughout the series, Florida looked simply unstoppable as it steamrolled through Shanghai, thanks in large part to a huge performance from DPS Andreas "Logix" Berghmans, who had struggled up to this point in the season. Logix's dominance on hitscan heroes led the way for Florida to take Dorado, Temple of Anubis and Ilios in convincing stomps before the Dragons finally dug in its heels in Game 4 on Numbani. Fighting hard for every inch, Shanghai managed to roll through the first two points on the back of stellar McCree play from DPS Lu "Undead" Weida, but it wasn't enough to get Shanghai over the finish line.
Florida fought hard to preserve the 4-0 sweep, holding Shanghai on the final point and preventing the Dragons from finishing the map. When it came time for Florida to attack, the Mayhem did whatever it wanted while the Dragons' customary lack of cohesion reared its ugly head once again. It was child's play for Florida to finish the map with time left on the clock, putting its foot down and picking up its first win in the OWL.
Shanghai will have to pull itself together as it faces the Seoul Dynasty at 9 p.m. ET on Wednesday, while the Florida Mayhem look to continue its newfound winning ways against the red-hot Houston Outlaws at 9 p.m. ET on Thursday.
-- Noah Waltzer
London Spitfire 3 - Dallas Fuel 1
The London Spitfire soared to a 3-1 win over the struggling Dallas Fuel to finish off Day 3 of Week 2 at the Overwatch League on Friday.
On the back of controversy and a disappointing start to the Overwatch League, things haven't been easy for Dallas, which came into today's match with a 0-3 record. In contrast, London had won all three of its matches on the back of solid team play, with different members stepping up when the moment called for it. This series was no exception, as it was the grounds for young DPS star Park "Profit" Jun-Young to show that he's a world class player and rightful starter for the Spitfire. With his Genji cutting Dallas up in Games 1 and 2, Profit led the Spitfire to a comfortable 2-0 lead, but the Fuel would not go down without a fight.
Dallas, who fielded its "OG" roster in the wake of recent player misconduct, finally shuffled its roster around in Game 3 on Oasis, which seemed to free up DPS Hwang "EFFECT" Hyeon. Using his comfort picks of Tracer and McCree, EFFECT was a menace on both City Center and Gardens, popping through London in surprisingly crisp teamfights as Dallas took a map for the first time in 11 maps.
Ultimately, Profit and Co. wouldn't be denied. The Spitfire cruised through Numbani in Game 4 despite Dallas managing to put up a decent fight and forced overtime. Although the Fuel's attempt to force a draw on Map 4 was unsuccessful, it was definitely an emotional win for the embattled Dallas side. With a recent string of tough losses, a 3-1 series loss against a top-three team in the world is a step forward. As for the Spitfire, it continued to prove that it has the deepest, most talented roster in the entire league and remains undefeated overall.
London Spitfire has another test ahead of it in the Los Angeles Valiant at 2 p.m. ET on Saturday, while the Dallas Fuel will try to get back on track against the San Francisco Shock at 11 p.m. ET Thursday.
-- Noah Waltzer