Despite some late schedule changes, Week 9 of the Overwatch League (OWL) went on as planned. There were plenty of exciting matches, and so here are some key takeaways from the second weekend of online games.
Shanghai jumps up in the standings
After a shaky 1-1 start to the 2020 OWL season in Week 8, the Shanghai Dragons looked dominant in Week 9. The Dragons took down the Hangzhou Spark 3-0. Furthermore, in their rematch against the Guangzhou Charge, who they lost to last weekend, they took the match 3-1.
San Francisco bounces back
After losing to both the Los Angeles Gladiators and the Los Angeles Valiant last week, the San Francisco Shock bounced back nicely on Saturday. They managed to beat the Valiant 3-1 this time around. They also did so without playing last season’s MVP, Jay “Sinatraa” Won, on any of the maps.
The Valiant start to slide
Losing to the Shock was one thing, but the Los Angeles Valiant really looked out of sorts in their 3-2 loss to the Dallas Fuel. The Valiant jumped out to a 2-1 lead and then lost a close game on Eichenwalde when they failed to push the cart all the way. On the final map, Oasis, they couldn’t even win one round. This was the Fuel’s first win in the 2020 OWL season.
Washington’s struggles continue
While Washington wasn’t at the top of anyone’s 2020 OWL Power Rankings, they haven’t gotten things together at all this season. They took another two losses this weekend to the Toronto Defiant and the Philadelphia Fusion. Corey “Corey” Nigra has looked good throughout the year, but the team as a whole hasn’t turned many heads.
Next week, we will finally get to see the Vancouver Titans back in action. Make sure to stay tuned for more OWL news and takeaways while we try to continue navigating this confusing 2020 season!
