Afreeca Freecs closed out their third week of the 2018 LCK Summer Split with a fast 2-0 victory against Gen.G earlier today.
In their final domestic match before Rift Rivals, Afreeca were facing a fellow top team in the LCK. While earning wins from teams like Jin Air Green Wings and MVP were vital for their place in the standings, Afreeca needed to beat more strong squads like Gen.G, especially after their losses to KINGZONE DragonX and Hanwha Life Esports last week. Without these wins, it’d be difficult to consider Afreeca a contender for the Summer Split title.
To beat a team like Gen.G, though, Afreeca used their opponent’s strengths against them. Afreeca were prepared for Gen.G jungler Kang “Haru” Min-seung’s early aggression, and made sure to punish his risky play. Whenever Haru and Gen.G looked to be setting up for a play, Afreeca were in position to counter attack with a collapse onto a single Gen.G target. Through their layered crowd control abilities, Afreeca found countless picks.
Gen.G were never able to teamfight, which was the purpose of their game one composition with the tank Ornn up top and Lulu mid lane. Afreeca played around their man advantage gained from these picks and found various map objectives.
Gen.G had a promising start to game two, however. With Ornn in the mid lane and Lee “CuVee” Seong-jin given the Kennen top, Gen.G now matched and even bested Afreeca in early skirmishes.
With three Mountain Drakes to their name, Gen.G looked keen to take a fast Baron and close the game. But one disastrous teamfight from Gen.G in the mid game was all it took for Afreeca to make their momentous comeback. Afreeca took the Baron for themselves and swiftly proceeded to close out the game with their buff-empowered siege.
With the LCK now taking a week hiatus, Afreeca’s next appearance on Summoner’s Rift will be on July 5, when they face the LPL’s Edward Gaming on the first day of Rift Rivals.
