In the Overwatch League’s second week, the Chengdu Hunters looked fairly inconsistent. Their high points were spectacular, but their low points were devastating. What does this tell fans about the Hunters’ upcoming matches? Here’s how everything breaks down.
Last Week’s Recap
Seoul Dynasty: 1-1
In their match against the Seoul Dynasty, the Chengdu Hunters struggled to coordinate and adapt. Their team composition was very rigid. Once the Dynasty learned how to deal with the Hunter’s hero selections, they seemed to have no trouble for the rest of the match. After getting separated, picked off early and steamrolled for four maps in a row, it was clear that changes were necessary going forward.
Player of the Match: Tzu-Heng “Baconjack” Lo
Despite the 4-0 loss, Baconjack showed lots of promise in this matchup. He might not have secured his team a victory, but he did manage to give the Hunters a fighting chance. As his skills and team synergy improve, he will likely be carrying the Hunters to victory and making a name for himself.
Florida Mayhem: 1-1
After diffusing the Philadelphia Fusion earlier in the week, the Florida Mayhem entered this matchup with a surprising amount of confidence. However, the Chengdu Hunters seemed to have learned their lesson from their match against Seoul. They ran unconventional, innovative compositions that took the Mayhem by surprise. It seemed that every time the Mayhem adapted to the Hunters’ latest crazy strategy, they pulled out something new.
In a climactic Map 5 on Ilios, Tianbin “lateyoung” Ma redeemed his sub-par Roadhog play from the Hunters’ first match with a new-and-improved Roadhog performance. In the end, the Chengdu Hunters brought order to the Florida Mayhem with a 3-2 victory.
Player of the Match: Wenjie “Elsa” Luo
Elsa played multiple roles throughout this match. His Sombra and D.Va skills were both pivotal to this team’s success. He was constantly enabling his fellow teammates to perform well. Whether it was getting those early picks, saving his teammates or setting up big plays, Elsa was the key ingredient in Chengdu’s recipe for success in this match.
This Week’s Preview
Shanghai Dragons: 1-2
The Shanghai Dragons officially broke the longest losing streak in sports history last week when they defeated the Boston Uprising. Now that they’ve had their first taste of victory, the Dragons will no doubt be hungry for more. With Youngjin “Gamsu” Noh leading the charge, this team will be a tough match for the Hunters.
If Chengdu wish to succeed, they will need to perform at the same level they had against the Mayhem last week. Coordination and adaptation are both crucial for success. Chengdu can further boost their chances of victory if they focus on disrupting Gamsu as much as possible. As Shanghai’s shot caller, applying lots of pressure to him should cripple their coordination.
Prediction: Shanghai win 3-2
Player to Watch: Menghan “ameng” Ding
The biggest difference in Chengdu’s team strategy compared to the rest of the league is their reliance on Wrecking Ball instead of Reinhardt or Winston. Ameng performed phenomenally on the hero in their match against Florida Mayhem. His ability to quickly engage the enemy’s backline and escape is often the start of the team’s biggest plays.
Unfortunately, Chengdu’s reliance on Wrecking Ball is a double-edged sword. If the Hunters’ opponents can shut down ameng, it often stops the team in their tracks. Ameng also seemed fairly inconsistent in last week’s match against the Seoul Dynasty. His plays were often too aggressive for his teammates to properly capitalize on. For the Hunters to succeed, ameng will need to play a disciplined and coordinated Wrecking Ball, rather than a reckless one. If he can manage that, then this team will be well on their way toward slaying the Dragons.
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Featured image courtesy of the Chengdu Hunters.
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