Overwatch League, Week 3: London Spitfire easily take care of San Francisco Shock

Can anyone take down a Korean Overwatch Team? Anyone, anyone?

The London Spitfire came into week 3 sitting pretty. They are tied with New York and Seoul at the top of the standings and boast a spotless record.

Despite all this, the Spitfire couldn’t afford to cruise into their week 3 opener against the San Francisco Shock. Of the three predominantly Korean teams in the Overwatch League, the Spitfire currently look the most vulnerable. It’s not so much that they look weak (because they are not weak) as it is that Western teams have proven they are beatable. Many probably still remember their close call against the Los Angeles Valiant at the end of last week.

Meanwhile, the San Francisco Shock entered week 3 standing tall after their hard-fought win against the Boston Uprising. With momentum on the Shock’s side, it felt like anything could happen in this matchup.

Map One: Eichenwalde

San Francisco started the match off on offense. Instead of going with a Pharah-Mercy combo, the Shock elected to go with Babybay on McCree, supported by Danteh on Tracer. The Shock’s first push was long, sustained and nearly successful, but London’s Bdosin on Zenyatta found a few kills late to give London just the amount of bodies needed to hold the point. He then followed those eliminations up with a spawn-point pick on Babybay to stall San Francisco.

With 30 seconds left, San Francisco went on their last attack with Dhak’s Valkyrie in hand. Babybay started things off right with a couple picks, but birdring on Tracer eliminated Babybay. That started London’s collapse onto both San Francisco and the point. The round finished with the Shock having only taken 50 percent control of Eichenwalde’s first point.

London did elect to go with a Pharah attack. The Spitfire’s first attack started with picks traded back and forth. With Dhak and Babybay on Pharah both out of the picture, London was able to rack up point control all the way to the first tick despite being outnumbered. London’s next attack started similarly, but it was a Spitfire D.Va Self Destruct that quickly leveled the Shock and gave London the tiny bit more on the point they needed to win the map.

Map Score: Shock 0, Spitfire 1

Match Score: Shock 0, Spitfire 1

Map Two: Horizon Lunar Colony

On this map, San Francisco has had a terrible time on attack and it was no different today. The Shock elected to go with a Widowmaker and a Sombra on attack, while the Spitfire set up a very traditional high-ground defense with an Orisa. Sleepy’s sneakiness on Sombra paid off at first, able to flit onto the objective with Danteh as Tracer. Slow to pivot, London gave up a tick on point A before they were able to move their composition onto the objective.

However, that was all the Shock was able to get. Every attack attempt was extremely transparent to the Spitfire and consequently rebuffed. London refused to group themselves up in a way that would make Sleepy’s EMP effective.

On attack, the Shock nearly crumbled on the Spitfire’s very first attack. With birdring making a headshot on Babybay and Dhak falling early, all signs pointed to an easy take. However, Sleepy saved the day with an EMP that was able to push London back momentarily. But it wasn’t long before the Spitfire came back, this time definitively and for good. One final desperation Primal Rage on behalf of San Francisco stalled London for a couple more seconds, but London acquired their second victory of the series as soon as it was over.

Map Score: Shock 0, Spitfire 1

Match Score: Shock 0, Spitfire 2

Map Three: Oasis

London immediately got out to a great start on University with Profit on Genji making San Francisco hurt. With 69 percent for London, San Francisco was finally able to mount an attack that took out London’s supports, which finally gave them enough advantage to take the point. But the Spitfire came back again, holding strong with Bdosin exercising some support-on-support crime, taking out Dhak with a full elimination. And then rest was just the Profit show, catching two members of the Shock with a Dragonblade.

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After a brief technical delay, gameplay resumed on City Center. Both teams decided to use McCree for DPS instead of Pharah. Despite a first point take, the Shock regained control after Babybay out-McCree’d birdring. San Francisco was able to hold the point all the way until 99 percent, at which point the kills finally went in London’s favor. After one stuffed attack, San Francisco charged back in and bumped London right off the point to get one on the scoreboard.

With that, the map moved to the third and final point in the Gardens. San Francisco took control first, mostly staying on the high ground until they saw room to attack. With a support ult to sustain them, the Shock was able to fend off the Spitfire enough to force them to reset. The rest of the map saw the Shock using ultimates very smartly to continuously fend off the Spitfire. And to the surprise of most in the room, San Francisco held strong for the map’s entirety, earning themselves a win in the series.

Map Score: Shock 2, Spitfire 1

Match Score: Shock 1, Spitfire 2

Map Four: Junkertown

On attack, San Francisco took up the common Bastion-centric composition. However, the Shock quickly fell apart after Bdosin dropped two of their players with dangerously accurate Zenyatta orbs. After a very lengthy stall, the Shock found themselves at the first checkpoint. From there, San Francisco made a bit of a mistake sending their entire team up to try and take the high ground. That attempt ended up faltering, sending the Shock scampering back to the payload to get as much ground as the Spitfire would allow.

With less than 30 seconds remaining, the payload was just a little over halfway to the second checkpoint. With San Francisco mounting their last attack, Profit orchestrated a lethal Riptire that caught Dhak right in midair. With that, the Shock attack dried up.

Instead of Bastion, London attacked with more of a dive composition, with Profit on Genji and birdring on Widowmaker. Profit attempted to flip into San Francisco’s backline to nab Dhak, but his efforts were stopped by Babybay’s Widowmaker. However, their next attempt at jumping on the Shock’s backline was successful. After getting wiped, San Francisco did attempt to hold the first checkpoint one more time. Profit punished them for that folly by unleashing his Dragonblade.

Next: Overwatch League, Week 2: London Spitfire barely get win over Los Angeles Valiant

After that, it was just a matter of time until that payload locked into position on the goal line. All it took was a staggered Babybay and one London Primal Rage to push it most of the way there. With Profit cleaning up any stragglers, the Spitfire cruised to their first win of the week.

Map Score: Shock 1, Spitfire 2

Final Match Score: Shock 1, Spitfire 3

Player of the Match: Bdosin, London Spitfire