League of Legends world champions FunPlus Phoenix started the 2020 LPL Summer Split today with a loss to LNG, a team coming back from the bottom of Spring Split standings.
FPX started the series with an unusual strategy, choosing a poke composition that allowed them to take the first game victory by dominating the early game with jungler Tian and then winning key teamfights.
Related: Here are the 2020 LPL Summer Split standings
But they then lost both following games due to endless aggression from LNG. While FPX looked scattered across the map, LNG engaged in fights as one and heavily targeted the opposing ADC, Lin “Lwx” Wei-Xiang, preventing him from dealing any damage.
LNG looked especially dominant in game two. Mid laner Maple, who won the title of MVP for the game, seemed to be everywhere at once. He caught FPX in well-executed Galio ultimates, while jungler Xx gave space to his team by using Jarvan IV aggressively.
Despite numerous changes to their coaching staff after the Spring Split and playing with substitute top laner Zhou “chenlun17” Peng-Yuan, LNG proved they built synergy and that they’re going to try to turn around their year after a disastrous split.
FPX, however, didn’t start the LPL Summer Split in the best way after ending the Spring Split and Mid-Season Cup with disappointing results. Many League fans have high expectations for FPX after they won both LPL Split titles and the World Championship in 2019.
FPX will try to bounce back in their next matches against Bilibili Gaming on June 12, followed by games against Team WE and Invictus Gaming.
