San Francisco Shock defeat Dallas Fuel in a five-map set

The San Francisco Shock defeated the Dallas Fuel in a five-map series. This was the first time since Dallas Fuels’ tournament win that they’ve lost. With both teams’ aspirations to finish at the top of the league, fans knew this match would be a good one. With a close start, a drawn map and a concise victory, this match between the Shock and the Fuel is the Overwatch League Match of the Week.

WHAT. A. MATCH.

The @SFShock get their revenge and take down the @DallasFuel. #Winnable | #OWL2021 pic.twitter.com/AclkDKsUF2

— Overwatch League (@overwatchleague) May 30, 2021

Match recap

This match had a lot at stake after the Fuel had eliminated the Shock from the May Melee. The Shock’s June Joust qualification hinged on it and had good momentum after handily defeating the Toronto Defiant the day before. However, it would be hard to beat the momentum that the Fuel had going after their first tournament win. But, when the Shock won the first two maps, it was clear they were back.

.@STRIKER_OW is the hammer, and Dallas's faces are the anvil 💀#Winnable #OWL2021

🔨 https://t.co/tbTGBrUfiE pic.twitter.com/8MSRjC7vAS

— Overwatch League (@overwatchleague) May 30, 2021

The maps were close but the Shock were edging out the fights that mattered. This was clear on Busan, where the teams traded wins before the Shock clutched it out on the third section. Dorado proved to be close yet again, with both teams not pushing to the end of the map. However, the Shock had the better defense and won the map. That’s when Dallas started to fight back, drawing a tough Anubis map before winning Eichenwalde. On that map, Dallas pushed the cart all the way to the end and held the Shock before the second checkpoint. Dallas had the potential for a reverse sweep, even with the drawn map in the mix. Ilios proved to be where the Shock won the map and the series. With great plays coming from everyone on both teams, the Shock just showed their experience in that last map.

What now?

Winning this 2-0 start to the June Joust was exactly what the Shock needed. It wasn’t the easiest start but they only lost two maps in their two wins. With the goal of showing everyone that they’re still contenders, they’re on that path. It was clear that getting swept by the Fuel in the May Melee was a catalyst for improvement.

As for the Fuel, this loss proves a little worrying. They still look like one of the best teams in the Western Division, but not as dominant as in the May Melee. It’s clear the hero bans for this tournament favor the San Francisco Shock better than the Dallas Fuel. However, Dallas has time to improve.