Having learned the name of the first participant of the LEC Winter 2023 playoffs from quartet A, we will smoothly move on to the fight for life at the championship. Fighting for the opportunity to stay in the race will be SK Gaming and Team Heretics.
SK Gaming found themselves in this situation after an unprincipled loss in the match against KOI. Before the start of the group stage, they went 5-3 in the regular season.
Team Heretics lost to Vitality in the first match of the group stage. Heretics, unlike SK Gaming, managed to impose a fight on the title opponent.
We figure out who from group A will be the first to leave the second stage of LEC Winter 2023.
SK Gaming Uniform
We start the review of the match with an analysis of the form of SK Gaming. In this fight, they are predicted to be the favorite.
Bookmakers are optimistic about SK Gaming. The chance of winning one of the oldest participants in the LEC is estimated at a coefficient of around 1.6.
Quite an interesting figure, considering the first round of Stage 2 games. Obviously, bo3 does not play in favor of SK Gaming, but the bookmaker is still impressed by SK in the regular season.
SK Gaming roster
It's pretty hard to disagree. In the regular season, SK really came up with something new, and their ideas brought success.
SK Gaming players
- Irrelevant
- markoon
- Sertus
- Exakick
- Doss
SK Gaming, like any team of this caliber, relies on team training and the ability to play as one. In Bo3 matches, this approach works much weaker than in Bo1roulette, which we noticed in their match with KOI.
SK Gaming performance at LEC Winter 2023
SK Gaming started the championship as "dark horses" at best. The first week of games confirmed this status and, moreover, aggravated it:
- Lost to MAD Lions 0-1
- Lost to Team BDS 0-1
- 1-0 victory over Team Heretics
However, the victory in the final series of the week left a gap and gave hope for further success for SK. And not in vain.
Already in the second week, SK Gaming actually performed a miracle. The team beat 3 favorites in a row at once:
- 1-0 victory over G2 Esports
- Victory over Vitality with a score of 1-0
- Victory over KOI with a score of 1-0
A week that was supposed to be fatal for SK Gaming, but in fact brought them a pass to the group stage.
SK Gaming approached the final round of the regional games as a serious opponent and favorite in almost every match. In general, expectations were met, with the exception of a minimal miss in the match against Astralis:
- Lost to Astralis 0-1
- Victory over Excel with a score of 1-0
- 1-0 victory over Fnatic
The last game against Fnatic was especially symbolic. SK, who did not need anything, closed Fnatic, thus sending the "orange" to rest.
In the first match of the group stage, SK met KOI. The title club with the players who won at LEC Summer 2022 left no chance for the young SK formation.
SK Gaming Champions
The top picks from SK Gaming were Gnar (2 games, 1 win), KSante (1 game, 0 wins), Camile (1 game, 1 win), Sion (1 game, 1 win), Renekton (1 game, 1 win).
Sejuani and Eliza are honored in the forest. Both champions appeared twice and won both matches, but Vi and Kindred lost their games.
In the mid lane, Sertuss plays Sylas (2 matches, 50% win rate), Kassadin (1 time, 0 win rate), Azir, Syndra and Akali (1 game each and 100% win rate).
Of the shooters - Zeri. The character appeared 3 times and won 2 matches, and in addition Varus (who lost the only match), Sivir and Lucian were also picked.
On supports, Yummi, who managed to get fed up, broke into the Karma meta, as well as Renata Glasc and Lulu. Yummi won two matches out of 3, Karma lost the only game, and Renata Glasc and Lulu won.
Team Heretics Uniform
We continue the analysis of the match with the analysis of the game form of Team Heretics. The role of an outsider shines on them in this confrontation.
Bookies don't have much faith in Team Heretics. The Spanish club's chance of winning is estimated at around 2.
A very twofold situation happened to the state of affairs of the two teams. It is possible that the Heretics team will not agree to the playoffs, but I would not risk giving them an outsider in this match.
Composition of Heretics
Heretics, like SK Gaming, cannot boast of an extremely famous roster, although there are notorious performers here. Among these, Jankos, for example.
Team Heretics Players
- Evi
- Jankos
- ruby
- Jackspektra
- Mersa
Until the legionnaires from the East were fully revealed. Often representatives of LPL and LCK perform well within the LEC (an example of Vitality), but heretics does not go well.
Team Heretics Performance
The first week at the LEC Winter Team Heretics started with two losses and one win. The favorites of the season and the “average” lost, which turned out to be far from the same:
- Beating Astralis 1-0
- Lost to Vitality with a score of 0-1
- Lost to SK with a score of 0-1
The second week brought Team Heretics a mirror result. The team won 2 matches, lost 1:
- Victory over KOI with a score of 1-0
- Lost to G2 Esports 0-1
- 1-0 victory over Fnatic
I would like to note the last series against Fnatic. The Japanese legionnaire Evi was just shining there, dragging a 40-minute game on KSante.
The “heretics” spent the final week poorly. We were satisfied with only 1 victory and that one against the worst team of the season:
- Victory over Excel with a score of 1-0
- Lost to MAD Lions 0-1
- Lost to BDS Esports with a score of 0-1
The victory over Excel was enough to continue the procession within the LEC Winter, however, it was not possible to see any confidence from the newly assembled roster of the Spanish club.
In the first match of the group stage, Team Heretics faced Vitality. In a match where they didn't expect much from Heretics, they managed to show their mettle and took the card from a more formidable opponent.
Team Heretics Champions
Evi played 6 matches on KSante and has a 50% win rate. In addition, Jax (won), Renekton (lost) was played.
In the forest, Jankos shows the meta: Wukong (3 matches, 33% wins), Vi and Graves 1 game and 1 win each, but the broken Maokai and Elisa did not bring success and lost their cards.
Azir was most often sent to the mid lane (4 games, 50% of wins). Cassiopeia was also played (1 match, 100% win rate), as well as Kassadin and Viktor, but they didn't win.
The bot is stable: Varus and Lucian have 2 games and 1 win each. There was also Kalista, who lost the match, and Zeri, who won hers.
Of the supports, Nami was chosen most often (2 games, 50% of wins). Karma, Nautilus, Lulu and Braum picked once each, but only Karma and Braum won their series.
History of personal confrontations
Previously, the teams played each other as part of the regular season. In the face-to-face confrontation during the regular season, SK celebrated the victory.
Outcome
In this fight, I expect a roughly equal fight, but more faith in Heretics. SK Gaming finished at the bo1 stage in the regular season and have already shown their maximum, but Heretics, as we saw during the first match of the LEC Winter 2023 - Stage 2 group stage, still have trump cards.
Outcome: Team Heretics win.
