Origen vs FC Schalke 04

For our first match of the day we have an exciting clash between Schalke 04 and Origen. After watching these two teams play yesterday, we're inclined to believe that this could potentially be a somewhat close clash, even though Schalke have the edge in almost every single department.

Schalke are currently on a tear, and watching their games is an absolute joy almost by default. It's a strange sight, seeing Schalke this dominant, clean, and cohesive. They're incredibly talented lane-by-lane and you could argue that these players are the perfect five-man mix when it comes to playstyles and sheer aggression. They all want to dominate, and they have the means to do it -- either individually or as a team.

They had quite a tall task ahead of them yesterday, seeing how they were up against a very game Misfits squad. Things didn't start off well for Schalke as they gave up multiple kills in the early game, and even though they managed to stay close in gold and objectives, it seemed like it was one of "those" Misfits games -- where they just steamroll through their opposition with mind-blowing ease.

But Schalke were resilient. They were patient and they managed to find their opening -- and then some. Memento was able to steal Infernal drake from Misfits, and the rest of the team collapsed in spectacular fashion, spearheaded by Abbedagge's incredible Akali play. In the end, they got four kills and a dragon without giving up any casualties. This was the moment the game turned on its head. Schalke found a small opening and made the best of their opportunity. It was as if Misfits completely tilted off the planet seeing how they were unable to mount any concrete offensive going forward, and it's hard to blame them.

With a worse draft, less tools for the late game, and a key blunder still fresh in their minds, Misfits simply rolled over and lost. After twenty-five minutes, Schalke's lead was insurmountable, and they closed the game out in spectacular fashion. Their bravado, their willingness to take any fight regardless of the odds are some of their biggest strengths right now.

The only team that does it perhaps a bit better is G2 Esports -- but then again, being second only behind G2 is basically a compliment at this point. Schalke is never scared to engage, and they all clicked perfectly as a five-man unit -- everyone is carrying their part of the weight, which allows them to outclass teams left and right with such ease.

As for Origen, they were able to take down Rogue yesterday and continue their (somewhat underwhelming) two-game win streak. While it's not much, it's at least something.

They're currently sitting at a fairly acceptable 3W-4L record, and they're making concrete visible progress in-game, which is a good thing. They're not exactly a mid-tier contender, but they're getting there at their own terms. The most important thing for Origen is the fact that they have differentiated themselves from the rest of the bottom pack. In other words, they beat SK Gaming, Rogue, and Fnatic, so they're at least in playoff contention right now.

How high they will eventually soar remains to be seen, but they're taking one game at a time which is definitely the right approach. Unfortunately, anything they can do, Schalke can do better. They're outmatched on an individual level, they're far more passive, reactive, they don't play as well from behind, they're not as quick to capitalize and they need much bigger openings in order to potentially turn a game on its head. They're not as dominant nor as mechanically gifted, and finally -- they lack Schalke's incredible cohesion. Sure, they looked great against Rogue, but looking great against the tenth-ranked team isn't exactly something worth bragging about.

We're going with Schalke 04 on this one, and with full confidence. They're insanely strong right now, and it's perhaps even strange a bit. They're so in-sync, so aggressive and capable, and yet they never over-extend, they don't go for stupid 50/50 plays, trying to make a miracle. They've low-key become a must watch team in the LEC, and their games are absolute shellackings. They're entering this match with a stellar 6W-1L record, and they're looking to continue their dominant streak and cement themselves as a top tier contender that has the tools to compete with G2 Esports, perhaps even for the LEC title.

While it might be a bit closer in the early game than most people expect, Schalke should, by all means, be able to clutch out the win through their sheer aggression and mechanical prowess.