Game One

FC Schalke 04 (“S04”) started the series with a decisive first game. Before two minutes had passed, the action had already picked up. Vitality (“VIT”) went for an invade into the enemy and kept fighting forward. S04 reacted properly and were able to get 3 kills without a single casualty, giving them a massive lead. The pressure kept up as S04 invaded the top side jungle of VIT and picked Mowgli. It only got worse from there with S04 picking up two more kills top and mid before trading 1 for 1 in the bot lane.

Not even 13 minutes in, S04 used the Rift Herald bot lane to pick up 3 easy kills and the first turret of the game. Things were looking up for VIT with a pick top, but when they tried to dive bot tower they were overrun, losing in a 3-1 trade. S04 ran through VIT soon after, forcing a pick in the jungle and taking Baron Nashor for a clean 2-0 trade. S04 then ran the game to end, running through VIT’s base and taking two more kills and game one.

QUICK STATS:

Time: 23:50

Kills: 18-4

Turrets: 10-1

Gold: 48.9k-35.7k

Dragons: 2-0

Barons: 1-0

Game Two

Despite a much slower start to the game, S04 won in a similarly convincing fashion. The action started in the bot lane, with Jactroll and Attila getting a 2v2 kill before getting ganked by Trick for a one for one trade. Trick made action happen around the map, getting a kill in the mid lane before going bot and getting another 1 for 1 trade. In the meantime, Mowgli went top to get a free kill by diving the top tower. VIT tried to force a play in the mid laneLEC but overextended. As soon as the had gone too far, S04 had Odoamne teleport to a lane ward behind them. The rest of S04 then collapsed on VIT for a 2-1 trade-in favor of S04.

S04 continued to capitalize on VIT’s over aggression, finding two more free kills when VIT tried to dive top lane again. The teams then traded towers, with VIT getting the first tower top and S04 getting an extra kill bot lane. VIT finally found success by forcing on bot tower and getting 3 kills for their 2 deaths. Just when VIT looked like they had hope, S04 picked a 4-2 fight in the jungle. S04 managed to then find three consecutive picks in the mid lane and take position around the Baron Nashor. Soon after, they found a fight mid, traded four for one and then took the Baron. VIT managed to stall the game out for much longer than expected, coming down to a 4-5 trade with super minions from every lane to finally take the nexus.

QUICK STATS:

Time: 33:27

Kills: 16-32

Turrets: 3-11

Gold: 60.8k-68.8k

Dragons: 0-3

Barons: 0-1

Game Three

VIT refused to say die and struggled through game three until they were victorious. S04 began their troubles with an early-mid gank for first blood. VIT immediately shot back with a three-man dive mid. VIT kept their aggression and attempted another mid-dive, but instead lost a player for nothing. The junglers traded objective, with VIT getting the Rift Herald and S04 picking up an Infernal Drake. VIT then leveraged this into a bot side two for two and took some plates narrowly before they fell off using their Rift Herald and securing an early 500 gold lead. S04 was looking strong from another free kill, but VIT stood up, took two kills and an Infernal while trading towers.

Just as the game looked to be even and calm, VIT went for an engage in the S04 jungle. Through better coordination and outplay, S04 won the fight handily and traded up in a 4-1 trade. Just as S04 was looking like the victors, they went for a mid-lane engage and threw the game back to VIT, giving up two more kills. The game then descended into an entire clown fiesta with neither side taking a solid advantage, despite S04 getting a Baron before VIT engage a final five for two fight. They then ran through the mid lane and ended the game.

QUICK STATS:

Time: 38:30

Kills: 23-20

Turrets: 4-7

Gold: 70.0k-70.5k

Dragons: 2-2

Barons: 1-0

Game 4

S04 closed the series in a decisive fashion, being the first team to beat the Garen Yuumi combination in the LEC. Neither side was willing to give an inch and traded early one for one. S04 then tried to dive top side, but VIT were the ones that got a 2v2 kill in the bot side. Both sides fought in the mid lane, with S04 barely scraping an edge with a 2-1 trade. Managing to get the Rift Herald, VIT was looking in control. Despite losing two to quick picks, VIT found a kill and several plates with their Rift Herald. Refusing to back away from the top turret, VIT was caught out of position and lost 4 for 0. VIT managed to get a pick and get the first turret top, while S04 got a Cloud Drake and a bot lane turret. The gold was dead even at 16 minutes.

S04 showed poor macro decision making and used four players to dive Cabochard at the bot lane turret, allowing VIT to get the key first mid turret. S04 managed to get a fight in the bot side river, getting a 3-1 trade and the Mountain Drake. Despite getting a pick in the mid lane, S04 was unable to start the Baron because of VIT’s poke comp. VIT was looking in control, but Odoamne found an amazing engage in the jungle resulting in a 5 for 2 team fight, S04 picking up the Baron, and then another 5-3 team fight. S04 was then able to close the game, taking the bot and mid lane inhibitors before taking another Baron and returning for the base.

QUICK STATS:

Time: 36:32

Kills: 12-31

Turrets: 3-11

Gold: 61.7k-72.4k

Dragons: 0-4

Barons: 0-2

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