FC Schalke 04 Advance to EU LCS Semifinals
By Zac Cameron ·
The first quarterfinal of the European League of Legends Championship Series has concluded, with relative newcomers FC Schalke 04 taking down Splyce to advance to the semifinals.
The playoffs for the EU LCS have begun in earnest, and already a surprising knockout has happened. FC Schalke 04 have taken down Splyce in their quarterfinal bout to claim their place in the semifinals in what is their first ever playoffs showing. Despite the tough opposition, Schalke were able to claim victory in a clash going the full five matches, ultimately winning 3-2 as they look to continue their climb to glory. Here’s a brief breakdown of the games.
Match One
Schalke managed to claim victory in this first bout, though the battle itself was very close. Splyce did have their moments where they seemed confident, though ultimately the leads they built up through the early and mid-game weren’t enough to seal the deal.
Match Two
Once again, the overall gold lead proved to be a deceptive indicator of strength, with Schalke seeming to have control of this match right up until they didn’t. It was Splyce’s turn to steal the victory away, as they looked to equalize the series and claim glory for themselves.
Match Three
Another victory for Splyce, though this time they proved their dominance throughout the match. Schalke never really got into this game, falling behind the longer the match continued until it was too late to mount an effective comeback. Splyce were now one game away from advancing to the semifinals, while Schalke needed a miracle to keep their hopes alive.
Match Four
The beginnings of the comeback for Schalke as they slowly but surely ground out a victory against Splyce in this match. Though the match took a while to find its conclusion, truth be told Splyce were faltering from the start, ultimately allowing Schalke the opportunity they needed to claim victory and set up match point for themselves, though now both teams only needed one more victory to win it all.
Match Five
The final clash proved to be the Schalke show 100%. Splyce simply could not get into this game, with Schalke showing their dominance in both objective control and team fighting, leading to a relatively straightforward match to close out the series.
With this match now concluded, FC Schalke 04 will advance to the semifinals, where they will face off against either Team Vitality or Fnatic for a shot at t he finals. For more information on those matches, check out the official schedule page, here.
(Images via Riot Games Flickr)