The Los Angeles Valiant had two polar opposite matches in Week 1: being completely swept, then going on to wield the broom themselves. Week 2 gives them only one match and, given how they played against the Chengdu Hunters, their odds seem decent.
The Valiant were the undisputed underdogs of this series, but there was no underdog story to be had. The defeat was very convincing, and it seemed that the Shanghai Dragons simply outclassed the LA Valiant in all facets. This loss solidified the Valiant’s continued placement among the bottom five of the Overwatch League.
Part of the reason for such a devestating loss, though, could have very well been that the Los Angeles Valiant’s new main tank Russell “FCTFCTN” Campbell was still adjusting to his new team. At the time of the match, he had only been with the team for a few weeks.
The series ended 4-0 in favor of the Shanghai Dragons.
Despite the rough match, Valiant DPS Kyle “KSF” Frandanisa had as much of an impact as he could. His Graviton Surges were imperative to the small victories that the LA Valiant found throughout the series.
Moving into match two of the week, the Valiant’s story took a sharp turn for the better. Right out of the gate the team was dominating, and didn’t stop. Although some maps went to three or more rounds, the Los Angeles Valiant consistently had control of the situation.
Contrary to their previous match against the Shanghai Dragons, it was the LA Valiant who were outperforming the enemy team in all facets. Their ultimate management and coordination were superior to that of the Hunters, and they were the ones finding the necessary picks.
The series ended 4-0 in favor of the Los Angeles Valiant.
Once again, DPS KSF takes the title. Similarly to his performance in the Valiant’s match against the Dragons, his Graviton Surges were outstanding. On top of that, thanks to the LA Valiant’s dominance, KSF had much more room to work with and show what he’s capable of.
Courtesy of the Overwatch League
As of now, the Guangzhou Charge are sitting at the same record as the Chengdu Hunters. Of course, this is not definitive proof that the Los Angeles Valiant will be walking away the victors. In the teams’ last bout, the Charge actually won quite convincingly.
Although, the LA Valiant have improved quite significantly since then, whereas the Charge have almost looked worse. This, along with FCTFCTN now looking considerably more comfortable with the team than in their first match of Week 1, sways the odds somewhat in the Valiant’s favor.
Prediction: Valiant 3-2 Charge
It looks like FCTFCTN is on the right path in terms of adapting to his new team. As time goes on, he’s sure to improve as he further meshes with his fellow players and could very well end up being just what the LA Valiant need.
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Featured image courtesy of the Los Angeles Valiant on Twitter
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