The second half of Week 1 of the Overwatch League began with the most memorable match yet. The L.A. Valiant continued their dominance against the Dallas Fuel, who were trying to bounce back after a tough Day 1 loss. With a 4-0 victory against the Florida Mayhem, the Boston Uprising finally showed what they’re capable of. The San Francisco Shock got their first victory of the season as the Shanghai Dragons continued to struggle.
Match 1
Los Angeles Valiant: 3
Dallas Fuel: 0
Game 1 on Junkertown featured incredible Roadhog hooks, precise sniper play, and clutch overtime pushes. The opening map went into a time-bonus round twice before the Valiant won 8-7. The high-level play continued into game 2, where the Valiant showed us the importance of flexibility by changing their lineup and utilizing Ana to force a 5-5 tie against the Fuel. After a draining first two games, the Fuel couldn’t put any points on the board with losses on Ilios and Numbani.
Match 2
Boston Uprising: 4
Florida Mayhem: 0
The Boston Mayhem bounced back after losing to the N.Y. Excels on Day 2. As one of their favorite maps, Dorado should have been won by the Mayhem, but Florida dropped the ball and lost game 1. Game 2 was no surprise, as Boston did win on Temple of Anubis, the same map they won on against the Excels. After the 2-0 start, the Florida Mayhem failed to rally and gave up 2 more losses to end the night. Perhaps the limited 6-person roster of the Mayhem reduced their chances at victory, by removing the opportunity to substitute players when things aren’t working.
Match 3
San Francisco Shock: 3
Shanghai Dragons: 1
The San Francisco Shock entered Day 3 in high spirits, despite their loss earlier in the week. That positive attitude surely helped contribute to their victory over the Dragons. Although Shanghai showed flashes of brilliance that should eventually lead to victory in the future, they failed to gain any major momentum in game 3 on Ilios and ultimately lost to the Shock. The Shanghai Dragons will be looking to bounce back next week, when they face the Houston Outlaws.
You can check out the Overwatch League Wednesday through Saturday every week on twitch.tv/OverwatchLeague, or you can watch the VOD’s on the Overwatch League website.
—
Did you watch the Overwatch League this week? Which plays stood out to you, and what do you want to see as the season continues? Do you have a favorite team yet? Let us know in the comments below, and be sure to stick around GameSkinny for your Overwatch League news!
