Melany M. July 21, 2019
Team Liquid continues to dominate the 2019 LCS Summer Split.
The defending champions are on their way to claiming a bye to the playoffs semifinals after securing their tenth victory of the season, this time toppling a struggling Clutch Gaming. Though Clutch came into the match as underdogs, the squad still had hopes of making the playoffs which made this a tough loss.
Team Liquid drafted comfort picks while Clutch went back to Zed, this time putting him in the hands of mid laner Tanner “Damonte” Damonte.
Clutch was clearly on the right track as they they traded and attempted bold plays against Team Liquid. Damonte on Zed found the flanks to compromise the backline and keep things competitive.
Through the mid game, Clutch tried to force fights but Team Liquid had a different idea. The defending champions slowed down the tempo of the game and avoided any confrontations. Clutch attempted to rattle Liquid but couldn't find a way to draw them out of their comfort zone. That allowed Liquid to build up a lead over time and take an easy, methodical win.
It’s too soon to say if the changes in the coaching staff had any effect on Clutch. The team is going through massive changes and the players must adapt not only to the game but also to the new owners from Team Dignitas.
According to Damonte, the team is leaving the fiesta style behind and taking a more serious and organized approach. But it might be too little, too late for them after this loss.
The rest of the schedule ran as expected as Cloud9, Counter Logic Gaming, Team SoloMid, and OpTic Gaming secured wins.
The standings remain the same with Team Liquid on top, C9 in second, and CLG and TSM tied in third. OpTic fell to fifth and Golden Guardians is barely hanging on in sixth. 100 Thieves and Clutch are tied in seventh and still have a chance to climb. FlyQuest and Echo Fox are at the bottom.
