It all comes down to this. The London Spitfire Countdown Cup dance begins. The last chance to secure that ever-elusive first victory. It has certainly been a rocky road for the pilots this season. Coming in from their storied run with British Hurricane, expectations among fans was reasonably high. Yet an avalanche of disappointment has crushed these hopes, with fans clinging to life among the debris. A few times throughout the season there have been glimpses of the glory fans desire. Morcels to keep them going, now however the final bells will ring. The lads have just four games to change the trajectory of their season. Four chances to ensure their Countdown Cup run is one of legend. Will they take flight, or crash land… It’s all in their hands now. First off they face some ice-cold Canadians and some fiery Texans.
London Spitfire vs. Toronto Defiant
The Toronto Defiant is a bit of an odd team. They are solidly middle of the pack, able to beat the teams they should, but lose in a reasonably competitive fashion to the higher-ranked teams. Yet still, they are often overlooked and less talked about than other teams in their rank range. This is a bit of a shame as they have some very exciting pieces populating their roster. Their whole roster is solid, but Hessu, Sado, Michelle, and Lastro stand out the most. As well as the newly acquired Aspire from NA contenders. On an individual level, they perform very well, but their woes often come from inconsistent to poor team coordination. At times they can feel a bit sluggish and disjointed, but when they get it together they feel very threatening. A very slept-on team that should be a mighty hurdle for the Spitfire to overcome.
Luckily for the Spitfire, this is a Wrecking Ball-dominated meta at the moment, and historically Hadi has been more than serviceable on the hero. Additionally, the meta seems to call for extensive Tracer play so the mighty Shax should be set free to wreak havoc on the Defiant. All this is contingent on the team being able to coordinate well, of course, something that has plagued them all season. Hopefully a fresh start, and the last chance adrenaline could fuel them to an upset victory here.
Prediction: Spitfire 3-2 Defiant
London Spitfire vs. Dallas Fuel
Speaking of Fuel, the Dallas Fuel is the second team that the Spitfire lads will tango with this weekend. Where the Defiant have a cozy home in the middle of the pack, the Fuel owns the damn penthouse apartment at the top. Competing in all three Hawaii set tournament rounds, and winning one monthly title already. No matter the meta, they are a team that can bring it. To be fair, they struggled a bit in the Summer Showdown, and in the first week of the Countdown Cup. However, their immense talent and stellar teamwork make them the favorite to win almost every game they play. One can only say so much, the Dallas Fuel is a great team that plays great Overwatch. It is as simple as that. They have firepower and MVP candidates at each position. They are not unbeatable in this meta however, as the Paris Eternal has shown. Yet it would be a massive upset if the Spitfire could pull out a victory here.
The odds are forever not in the Spitfire’s favor in this particular matchup. They have been improving bit by bit over the season, but against a team as high functioning as the Fuel, it is a big ask. There isn’t any evidence of how well the Spitfire will perform in this meta, as they just haven’t played yet. So there is no indication that this meta will be the one for them. Signs certainly point to it working well for them, as it puts many of their players on comfort picks. Yet still, the power of the Fuel will likely be too much for this young squad.
Prediction: Fuel 3-1 Spitfire.
The London Spitfire Countdown Cup run could very well see the team get their first victory and possibly give them a shot at playoff play-ins. There are a couple of games that could very well be winnable. This is the last shot. No more second chances after this tournament. Win, and the season could possibly continue. Lose, and it’s done. Squadron, the team needs your support now more than ever.
Follow Ethan on Twitter @EthanButler for all your London Spitfire, Overwatch League, and Esports needs.
If you would like to see more, don’t forget to visit TheGameHaus.com