Echo Fox vs CLG

For our second match of the day we have an incredibly exciting clash between two mid-tier gatekeepers -- Echo Fox vs. Counter Logic Gaming.

This is perhaps the most interesting game of the day seeing how there's so much on the line for both teams. They're literally fighting for the very last playoff spot, and there's no more room for error.

Winning this game means you're entering the playoffs. It means the last couple of months don't go down the drain. It means you're getting some Championship Points and are preparing for the Best of 5 format. The season continues, and the dream of reaching the finals remains alive. Losing, on the other hand, means everything is lost. You're going back home, and waiting for the LCS Summer Split -- and that's all the way in June. Quite a big break.

Echo Fox are entering this match with a metric ton of hype and momentum, seeing how they've been able to completely demolish Team Liquid yesterday, and have even taken down Cloud9 last week. That's quite the resume, and even though they started the split off on the wrong foot, they were able to turn things around in pretty stellar fashion. It's quite commendable, really. Beating the top teams is no easy task, and both Liquid and Cloud9 pose different kinds of challenges, and yet this ragtag bunch of unhinged volatile players managed to best both of them.

This is perhaps all thanks to Rush's recent resurgence, but the rest of the team isn't slacking either. Fenix, in particular, has been clutch more often than not, and they're currently deceptively strong and capable.

Counter Logic Gaming, on the other hand, are just good. They're not great, they're passable across the board and they'e barely doing enough not to be considered a bottom-tier team. Their win over 100 Thieves yesterday was a pretty meek and mediocre display, considering the fact that they were up against four Academy players. They were passive and unwilling to make the winning play. That's a strange sight, seeing how they should be looking to make huge statements coming into today, but their aggression was nowhere to be found.

We expected a different kind of CLG, but to no avail. It's not like they don't have the tools to go blow-for-blow with Echo Fox, but they just seem like a relatively passive and weak team right now.

Betting on Echo Fox feels strange. It's as if we're just waiting for them to lose out a game they should be winning -- that's just the Echo Fox way. Regardless, they know there's a lot on the line. It's do or die. They should be fighting tooth and nail to get the win, and seeing how they took down both top two teams, they should be favored this time around as well. That said, don't expect a one-sided affair. CLG want the playoff spot as much as Echo Fox does (if not even more after their abysmal 2018) and they won't go down without a fight.