RLCS Week 4 Preview (NA+EU)

This weekend will end off as the halfway point in RLCS League Play, the wins now will be needed more than ever!

RLCS NA League Play

Ghost Gaming (1-2) vs Flight (0-4) + Ghost Gaming (1-2) vs Susquehanna Soniqs (2-1)

After a close defeat in an exciting series against the Pittsburgh Knights, Ghost Gaming head into Week Four with two hugely important matches. First up is what should be a walk in the park against tenth-placed Flight. The newly-promoted side have struggled immensely thus far, picking up four games in their four matchups. They’ll need to start picking up wins soon or they’ll be finding themselves back in the Rival Series next season. This is a perfect chance for Ghost to return to winning ways after an incredible series against the Knights, with their subsequent game against the Soniqs potentially being their downfall. Thanks to Shock’s fantastic debut season thus far, the Soniqs have won their last two matches and are in prime position to mount a challenge for one of the four elusive LAN spots. A win against Ghost could potentially push them into the top two, something many Soniqs fans couldn’t have predicted coming into the season.

NRG (3-1) vs Rogue (1-2) + eUnited (1-2) vs Rogue (1-2)

The second team with a double-header this week is a Rogue side who have struggled to a 1-2 record after three weeks. First up for Kronovi’s side is NRG, who will also be looking to bounce back after a crazy loss against Spacestation last weekend. The reigning world champions are still primed for a LAN spot despite a loss against the team ranked second in our Power Rankings and a matchup against a struggling Rogue side is the perfect way for them to bounce back in what should be a routine win. The second series for Rogue is against eUnited, who have struggled since their dominating win over a lacklustre Cloud9 side in the first week. Taking just one game from their subsequent two series’ against Ghost Gaming and NRG have left eU just outside of the top six, with last season’s LAN contenders hoping to make a push back into the playoffs with a win here.

Pittsburgh Knights (2-1) vs Spacestation Gaming (2-1)

In a series that is expected to be an absolute thriller, two sides who both had impressive seasons last time around as they reached the World Championship playoffs go head to head in what could be a decisive matchup in a few weeks time. After a disappointing loss against former third Satthew’s Soniqs, Spacestation handed NRG their first defeat of the season in a thrilling five-game series, pushing them back into the top four. They’re currently neck-and-neck with the Knights, with both sides sitting on a 2-1 record and a +1 game differential. The Knights appear to have found their groove as they put in a strong performance to get past Ghost last week, and they’ll be looking to continue that momentum this weekend.

Cloud9 (1-2) vs G2 Esports (3-0)

Imagine telling somebody one year ago that Cloud9 would be fighting to avoid relegation for the second season in a row. Not likely, right? Well, after a dismal start to the season, C9’s sole victory came over a team struggling to take Flight in the RLCS and many see them as prime candidates for relegation. The same can’t be said about G2, who have recovered from their shocking Season 8 with three successive wins, storming to the top spot in NA. The final match of the North American stream is a historic matchup, with the two sides having played each other 20 times over the rivalry’s duration. Although C9 have taken 14 wins, G2’s record has improved recently, with the Season 7 grand finalists taking two out of their last three meetings.

RLCS Europe League Play

Veloce Esports (2-1) vs Team Singularity (1-3) + Veloce Esports (2-1) vs Endpoint (1-2)

Veloce Esports will go into this match favored, boasting superior experience a superior resume of top tier opponents slain. Any still doubting Veloce was soundly shut up after they defeated Reciprocity last weekend. For Singularity, some view this as the real start of their RLCS season, given their first four matches have been vs the four teams expected to top the region. So Veloce presents Singularity’s first chance in a match where a victory wouldn’t be a monumental upset. If Noly can resume his stellar form, they might just do it, but Veloce are seldom poor, and have capable player of the week winners like Kassio did last week.

SNG will not be the only former RLRS side Veloce faces, as they also have a date with up and comers Endpoint. The similarities between both of Veloce’s opponents are noticeable, all six are in their rookie season in RLCS, although Endpoint will enter this match high on confidence after sweeping Monaco last weekend. While Veloce is infamous for their low scoring games, should Endpoint stay reverted to their demo-heavy style, it could very well hand Endpoint a second RLCS win.

AS Monaco (0-3) vs Renault Vitality (3-1) + AS Monaco (0-3) vs TSM (0-3)

The battle of the French is set to be an exert from a war movie, given that Alpha54 has seemingly found his feet on Vitality now. With all individuals on the French superteam clicking, it may make for an unpleasant viewing experience vs a woeful AS Monaco defense. Tigreee & EyeIgnite have not had the most ideal return to the RLCS, while Extra’s heroics went silent vs Endpoint last week. A world in which Monaco defeats Vitality is hard to imagine.

However, Monaco vs TSM has a ton of implications going for it. Not only is a battle of the winless teams (provided Vitality does their job vs ASM), it sees one of the more hyped up grudge matches of the RLCS, as EyeIgnite takes on former team TSM, more importantly, the two players who kicked him in remkoe & Metsnauris. Eyeignite’s split from TSM was not a pretty one, and with TSM hitting new lows since his departure, many have claimed the wrong player was removed, so both sides will look to prove the other wrong, as well at get a crucial first win in the RLCS, or face potential automatic relegation to the Rival Series.

Team Reciprocity (2-1) vs FC Barcelona (2-1)

Both teams are coming off close losses last week, yet both teams are still viewed in a mostly positive light. Given Reciprocity also dropped to Veloce 3-2 last season, and went on to become European champions, many have viewed last week’s defeat as just one loss. Similarly, given FC Barcelona was versing the titans in Renault Vitality, dropping to them can also be viewed as just one loss. However, someone has to lose here. On one hand, Flakes has slotted into FCB just fine, finding zero difficulties in achieving form similar to Bluey before him. On the other hand, Reciprocity is no longer a one-man show, fruity finds himself second in the clutch playmaker accolade and Ferra has already gotten player of the week honors this season, all the while, Chausette is forever a threat to change a match by himself. This makes for this match to be an intriguing one that guarantees to go this distance.

Dignitas (3-0) vs mousesports (2-1)

Two Icons of Rocket League Esports clash, as Dignitas takes on mousesports in the primetime match for EU, and it could not come at a better point in the season. The roads here have been varied. Dignitas is arguably the best team in the world right now, comfortably dispatching of every opponent they have faced, but it is fair to say this is their first real test of the season. For mousesports, despite the 2-1 record, they have looked far less convincing vs Monaco & Singularity than Dignitas did, even if both teams beat both opponents 3-1. The Dignitas players are all in great form, always reliable for a good showing. Likewise, Scrubkilla has bolstered the Mouz defense and kuxir97 when given chances, will shoot the ball and score a lot. Therefore the X-Factor for this game is Speed, somewhat quiet thus far this season, should he play to his incredible potential, this match truly becomes a coin-toss and one that promises to deliver.

Images via ZeeboDesigns.