Excel ESports have finally broken through the ranks of the LEC to qualify for the Finals, although it came in a shocking dominant display against Fnatic.
Excel ESports spent the last four years as a bottom-to-mid-tier team in the European League of Legends scene, but they have gone on to beat Fnatic in the 2023 Summer Split playoffs for their first-ever LEC Finals.
Excel ESports got a 3-1 series win over one of the heavy favorites of League of Legends in total contrast to their last-place finish in back-to-back seasons.
The team’s top laner Andrei “Odoamne” Pascu, was very instrumental to the team’s success as he returned to form to rack up 26 kills and 31 assists over four games. The veteran dealt damage to his opponents on Rumble, Gwen, and Gnar.
The 28-year-old veteran’s last Finals came when he was at Rouge, a team now known as KOI, in 2022. This was before he was replaced by top laner Mathias “Szygenda” Jensen in a shocking move as Odoamme was fresh from his first LEC championship.
Excel’s latest victory has locked out and stopped KOI from the season’s final and the World Championship in South Korea officially. This is the reward of the inconsistencies that KOI has shown this year with its roster, something Odoamme has described as “reaping what you sow” after he was quizzed about KOI’d imminent absence at the Worlds.
Excel’s route to a regional trophy is blocked by G2 ESports, and Excel will have to drop the booze around the win against Fnatic and focus on the upcoming game against G2 ESports.
The 2023 League of Legends World Championship is finally taking shape as JD Gaming becomes the first team to seal their ticket to the competition by beating Bilibili Gaming in the LPL Summer Split upper bracket finals played on July 30.
Daniel Ademiju Idowu
