The second semi-final match for the playoffs of the Overwatch League has concluded, with the Philadelphia Fusion claiming victory over the New York Excelsior in two series. After claiming victory in the first clash earlier this week, the showdown today certainly brought the best out of these two teams, with the Fusion proving to be the better on the day. Here’s a brief breakdown of the games.
The first map, Junkertown, saw the Fusion advance the payload through the map before reaching the end with time to spare. Though New York fought hard to replicate the results, they were held up before reaching the final checkpoint by a strong Fusion defense, handing the first map to Philadelphia.
The second map, Lijiang Tower, was a tense showdown between these two teams as both fought hard to claim victory. The first round went to New York, as the Fusion only managed to claim 29% of the point. The second round went back to Philadelphia, despite New York reaching 99% capture percentage. The third and final round went back in favor of New York, as they stopped the Fusion from capping the point despite reaching 99%, levelling out the overall score and giving them a fighting chance in this clash.
The third map, King’s Row, saw the Fusion capture and advance the payload through the entire map to finish with plenty of time to spare. The attack from New York was woeful, as they failed to secure the initial payload in the face of the Fusion defense. With this map victory, the Fusion were now on match point for both this series, and the overall semi-final clash.
The fourth map, Hanamura, was a chance for New York to bounce back and keep their hopes alive. After successfully holding point B, New York were in an excellent position to extend the series and potentially fight for the spot in the Grand Finals. The attack from New York was swift and deadly, despite some initial resistance from the Fusion defense. Ultimately the Fusion could not keep New York from reaching the required capture percentage and forcing a game five showdown.
The fifth and final map, Dorado, was the final nail in the coffin for New York’s hopes of a home ground grand final. Unfortunately, despite their defense stopping the Fusion from reaching the final checkpoint, when it came time for New York to launch their own attack they found themselves similarly blocked, and their increasingly desperate attempts at pushing the payload came short of the mark in the end.
With a final score of 3-2, the Philadelphia Fusion have booked their place in the Overwatch League Grand Finals, where they will face the London Spitfire for the title of Inaugural Season Champions. For more on when that match will take place, check out the official schedule page, here.
