The final fortnight of the LCO Split 2 regular season is here. This time last split, the five playoff participants were set and the focus had moved to seeding for the bracket. This split? The field is still very wide open, and no-one (other than The Chiefs) is truly safe.
Only two aspects of this regular season’s standings are confirmed — The Chiefs have locked in top spot once again due to their undefeated record, and Gravitas are guaranteed to finish eighth for the second split in a row due to their winless record. This leaves second through seventh still open and the race is getting tight.
Mammoth, who still find themselves in the playoff hunt, but needing every win they can get, will face the Dire Wolves, who can potentially confirm their playoff berth with a win tonight.
Next, Order and Peace will clash in what can be a momentum definer. Both teams are coming off winless weeks in week eight and will be desperate to bounce back.
To wrap the night, Kanga looks to get one leap closer to an unexpected playoff berth, as they take on hapless Gravitas squad who are four games away from a winless season.
Game of the night honours belongs to the first contest of the week, as the undefeated Chiefs take on Pentanet desperate for that top two spot.
Taylor’s Game of the Week: The Chiefs (17-0) vs Pentanet (10-7)
There was much hype around the first time The Chiefs and Pentanet met this split.
The Winner’s Final of Split 1 had them play what is considered the best game in LCO, and potentially Oceanic League of Legends history, and with both teams undefeated coming into their first meeting of Split 2, it looked like a promising, highly competitive rivalry was flourishing — reminiscent of the OPL/El Clasico of yesteryear.
What resulted was a wash in the favour of the undefeated juggernauts.
Since then, their trajectory’s have set off on two different paths. The Chiefs have become the team everyone wants to beat, dispatching Order and Gravitas with ease as they continue to march towards the perfect split.
On the flip side, Pentanet have been consistently inconsistent. The 2021 MSI heroes have settled back into a winning from in the last couple of weeks, taking out a perfect week last week with clean, and arguably one-sided victories against Mammoth and Order.
The team are determined to end the season strong and they have definitely put themselves on the right path to achieve this.
When these teams last met during the Super Week, the contest was much closer and not anywhere near as one sided as the initial contest.
Whilst the result obviously went in The Chiefs favour, the game was a far closer contest, with Pentanet keeping The Chiefs close initially, and making them work to gain the victory. I expect when these teams meet today the contest will once again be close as well.
At this point of the split, it would be foolish to not favour The Chiefs in every single game they play. I have this game going towards the league’s undefeated team, but it won’t be a cakewalk.
If the last time these two sides met is any indicator, I think Pentanet will go to tooth and nail to get the win, as for them, this has “statement victory” written all over it.
Taylor’s Week 9 Day 1 Predictions
Chiefs def. Pentanet
Dire Wolves def. Mammoth
Order def. Peace
Kanga def. Gravitas
The LCO Split 2 resumes tonight at 6pm AEST, with the game of the day Chiefs v Pentanet opening up the day’s play. Catch up on all the split details in our ultimate coverage hub.
Follow our prediction team @ImHarryTaylor & @CDMLoL & on Twitter.
