The second Overwatch League match of Saturday on week three proved to be a true marker of who improved since last season. The Shanghai Dragons beat the Florida Mayhem 3-1.
A rematch of epic proportions
For those who didn’t know, these two teams last year were fighting for the last place spot all year, with Shanghai winning that fight. One of the biggest games of last season was a close five-map set between these two teams, with Florida edging it out. But this year, both these teams have revamped rosters heavily focused on Korean players. This game was going to show who truly improved since last season, and it was apparent the Dragons did. While the Mayhem did show promise in the match with a map win, the Dragons just knew how to adapt and play around them. On the Mayhem, the bright spots were Sang-bum “BQB” Lee and Seong-won “Swon” Yoon.
Dragons stop the mayhem
The entire Dragons roster looks improved from last season, and they have a solid chance to make it into the stage playoffs. Their new roster gives them a great opportunity to be more flexible in game, running compositions involving Pharah, Sombra and more. The standout players on the squad were those versatile players, such as Jin-hyeok “DDing” Yang and Young-jin “Gamsu” Noh. All six members of the team proved that their role mattered in this match, from the supports to the DPS. This gives them hope for the postseason, as this makes them 2-2 in total. After starting off the season a little slowly, they seem to be finally catching fire at the best time. The only question for these Dragons is — can they win against top-tier opposition to make it in? They lost against highly ranked teams before, but they seem to be learning quickly.
The Shanghai Dragons face the Houston Outlaws later this week. The Florida Mayhem face the Dallas Fuel after their home games.
