Last week, half the teams in the Overwatch League were eliminated from playoff contention in the first few rounds of the postseason. This weekend’s games are do-or-die as teams battle on towards the Oct. 8 Grand Finals bracket.
Only four teams total, two from North America and two from Asia, will make it to the Grand Finals. Both regions are still juggling a winner’s bracket and a loser’s bracket. Teams in the loser’s bracket are one loss away from their season coming to an abrupt end, making every fight an important showdown.
Asia’s next matches begin on Sept. 12, but two lower bracket matches for North America took place on Sept. 11. Two more teams were sent packing after their losses.
Florida Mayhem vs. Atlanta Reign (3-0)
Over the course of the postseason, the Florida Mayhem roster made a name for themselves as the leaders of Sombra and Reaper DPS duo destruction. The Atlanta Reign made an attempt to beat the Florida Mayhem at their own game and it ended up costing them a place in the playoffs.
Florida’s DPS duo, Kim “Yaki” Jun-gi and Lee “BQB” Sang-bum, reminded the Reign why nobody mirrors Sombra and Reaper against them. First map Ilios was close, with all rounds going to 99 percent, and Atlanta actually looked competitive in a mirror composition matchup. On Numbani, however, something in the Reign’s ranks dissolved as the team’s ultimate usage became extraordinarily questionable.
By final map Volskaya Industries, Florida had fully taken over all the real estate in the Reign’s mind, and fully held Atlanta as a result. The Mayhem moved on in the loser’s bracket and the Atlanta Reign were eliminated from the postseason.
Washington Justice vs. Los Angeles Valiant (3-1)
The victory train just keeps rolling for the Washington Justice. The 12th-seed team had a monumental series of wins last week, moving from the North American elimination rounds all the way through to the lower bracket. The Justice apparently decided to keep that energy going this week as well.
On first map Busan, the Los Angeles Valiant looked unstoppable. Valiant hitscan Kai “KSP” Collins was on fire, focusing on Washington’s clutch DPS and part-time off-tank Jang “Decay” Gui-un on Zarya. As if to prove the Justice’s wild playoff run isn’t all about Decay, DPS Lee “Stitch” Chung-hee transcended to another level of destruction on Ashe. For the next three maps, Stitch shut down all of the Valiant’s dive attempts and eventually destroyed the team’s playoff dreams.
The Los Angeles Valiant ended its 2020 season with this loss. The Justice moves on once again to face the Florida Mayhem in tomorrow’s loser’s bracket match.
Sept. 12 matches
The Asia region bracket continues at 4am CT on Sept. 12, when the New York Excelsior takes on the Guangzhou Charge in the loser’s bracket. The loser of that match is sent home and eliminated from the postseason. Afterwards, at 6am CT, the Seoul Dynasty faces the Shanghai Dragons in the winner’s bracket. That match’s victor gets a fast-track directly to the Grand Finals bracket while the loser drops to the lower bracket.
One of the most hype and most important matches in North America begins at 2pm CT on Sept. 12. The San Francisco Shock faces the Philadelphia Fusion in the winner’s bracket, fighting it out for a spot in the grand finals. The loser of that match drops to the lower bracket. At 4pm CT, the Florida Mayhem will take on the Washington Justice in a last-chance loser’s bracket match.
Published: Sep 11, 2020 06:05 pm