After two explosive games on Saturday, EDward Gaming stood tall over LGD Gaming, taking an impressive 2-0 series sweep during Week 7, Day 3 of the League of Legends Pro League Summer Split in Shanghai.
With a reputation for excellent teamfighting, LGD (5-6, 13-15 match score) looked to test EDG's (8-3, 17-6 match score) mettle but, like a boxer facing an opponent with more raw power, EDG's path to victory was through slick defense and excellent counter punches. As the mid game set in, EDG's map-wide advantages made it seem like China's macro juggernaut was going to suffocate another opponent on The Rift. LGD jungler Xie "Eimy" Dan had other plans on Elise, though, Smite-stealing the Baron from right under EDG's nose. Using the buff, LGD pushed into EDG's half of the map while all but begging EDG to engage in a 5-vs-5 fight. During what would be the biggest moment in the game, it was EDG's smallest member, top laner Chen "Mouse" Yu-Hao who rose to the occasion as Maokai, enabling his team to pick off a member of LGD and bruise the rest, halting LGD's pressure. When the second Baron spawned, LGD again secured the kill but, before LGD could use the buff, EDG collapsed with Mouse leading the charge via a deep teleport. The counter-aggression led to a 4-for-0 stomp in EDG"s favor, giving EDG the momentum it needed to finally march down mid and take a Game 1 victory despite facing a gold deficit almost all game long.
Wanting an edge in late game teamfights and somewhat disrespecting LGD's early game presence, EDG drafted a double AD carry composition for Game 2, which paid off in spades. While LGD secured the first three kills of the game for a modest lead, the later the game went, the better the answers EDG had for LGD's plays. When LGD fought to begin sieging down the mid lane, EDG answered with fireworks, dominating an explosive 4-for-0 fight and taking control of the game. Once again, when LGD looked to gain the upper hand with a Baron kill, EDG responded with oppressive amounts of damage, giving EDG a 4-for-1 teamfight win to strip LGD of the Baron buff. With the timer on its composition running, EDG wasted no time in running it down mid and breaking LGD's base in 34 minutes.
EDward Gaming next takes on I May on Saturday, August 4th at 2:00 a.m. ET, while LGD Gaming faces SN Gaming Sunday, August 5th at 5:00 a.m. ET.