Last weekend’s performance against the Washington Justice looked like it could be a close one. The match started on Busan with the Fusion dropping map one. After that Map 1 loss, their feet never left the gas. Fans were also treated to a player debut this weekend and it wasn’t who most were expecting. Hee-Su “Heesu” Jeong jumped in to accompany Jae-Hyeok “Carpe” Lee on DPS. Heesu’s Reaper was sharp and Carpe’s Torb was almost unstoppable. Philly will need to keep this momentum rolling against two strong teams in the Eternal and the Reign this weekend.
Philadelphia Fusion (6-1) vs Paris Eternal (5-2)
The Fusion will be coming into the game against the Eternal with revenge on the mind. The one in the loss column was their first and only loss thus far and it came against this team. Last weekend, the Overwatch League saw the Eternal take on a struggling Houston Outlaws team. The Eternal dropped the first map, Nepal, then never looked back. They took the series 3-1 with an impressive showing from Eternal veteran Nicolas “NiCOgdh” Moret. He was accompanied by another veteran and thorn in the Fusion’s side Terence “SoOn” Tarlier.
The Fusion are the better team here skill-wise and on paper but that doesn’t always equal an easy win. They will need to take advantage of every mistake the Eternal makes, keep constant pressure on SoOn and NiCOgdh and most importantly, they need to come out of the gate swinging. Other than SoOn’s lights-out performance against the Fusion, Philly came out flat against the Eternal during their first loss. If they apply the pressure right out of the gate, they have this match in the bag.
Prediction: Fusion win 3-1
Philadelphia Fusion (6-1) vs Atlanta Reign (3-1)
Sunday’s games are looking lights out. The second game of the night features a possible playoff preview between the Fusion and the Atlanta Reign. Coming into the season, the buzz around this team was everywhere. The big problem for the Reign is their opponents so far. In their three victories, they went 3-0 but those wins were against Toronto, Uprising and the Mayhem. They do share a common theme with the Fusion, however. Their only loss was to the Eternal.
Standings aside, the Reign are a force to be reckoned with. Blake “Gator” Scott and Hyunjun “Pokpo” Park look lights out up-front and the depth in DPS and support also follows suit. Last week, fans saw a familiar face in Andrej “babybay” Francisty take the online stage in place of Kim “Edison” Tae-Hoon. This team is stacked with talent and this is the reason why TGH consistently has the Reign in the top five in power rankings. The Fusion will need to use their depth to outplay the Reign but that won’t be easy. The good news for the Fusion is that McCree will available for play next week. If a character like Torb receives the ban hammer this week, fans can be sure to see Carpe on his carry signature hero.
Prediction: Fusion win 3-2
Player To Watch
Heesu is the player to watch this week. The Fusion will need to be firing on all cylinders to win these game against and that includes newcomer Heesu. Many fans knew of Heesubefore his debut last weekend from the dominate Run Away team in Korean contenders. The constant pressure that he kept on the Justice on Reaper and his beautiful ultimate usage in that match make Heesu a new weapon their foes will need to deal with. Fusion fans are familiar with the team carrying their weight but the partner of Carpe has always been up in the air.
Philly played Seung-hyun “Ivy” Lee for most games before Heesu was of age. Ivy looked excellent but not as dominant as Heesu did last weekend. Philly fans should be hyped for this new, scary weapon they possess and this will pay dividends if he can produce the work he put in last weekend.
Stay Connected
Follow Rocco on Twitter @MaridonGaming for all things Philadelphia Fusion! You can also reach out to them on Discord and talk some OWL! (Maridon#6912)
Featured Image Courtesy of Robert Paul for The Overwatch League.
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