by Saturday, July 27 – 6pm PDT / 9pm EDT
While Counter Logic Gaming have all but secured a spot in the 2019 LCS Summer Split playoffs, it’s do-or-die for Clutch Gaming when the two sides meet this weekend.
It has been an uphill battle for Clutch in the last couple of weeks. Following a slow start to the split, they have sought out a recipe for success that still eludes them after seven weeks.
CG were never considered a team that would fight for the top spots, and they have done nothing to suggest otherwise. With the exception of a perfect week two, they have failed to impress and now sit in a three-way tie for sixth place with 100 Thieves and Golden Guardians.
While Clutch are still a chance to reach the playoffs, they need to wake up and start winning matches – starting with Saturday’s clash against CLG.
Week seven did not give us a clear read on CG’s form. While they completely outclassed Echo Fox, who are in a terrible spot and look destined to finish bottom, they were also well beaten by a world-class Team Liquid outfit that has already qualified for the playoffs.
Nonetheless, we can give some credit to Clutch for their innovative team compositions, which could surprise their opponents and grab them an upset win.
Counter Logic, meanwhile, are fresh of their third perfect week of the split. Impressive wins over FlyQuest and Cloud9 took their record to 9-5, meaning they only a need a couple more wins to book a playoff spot.
While the whole team is playing well, it is Kim “Ruin” Hyeong-min who deserves a lot of credit. CLG’s coordination, macro play and proactivity has improved drastically since he arrived in mid-May, which is clearly seen in the team’s performances and overall record from that time on.
Not only is Ruin the best player in the CLG squad, he is also widely considered to be one of the best top laners in the LCS. A wide champion pool and impressive performances across the board make him a player who should not be ignored by his opponents.
CLG vs Clutch Gaming betting predictions
The last time CLG met Clutch, we saw a close match that was decided in the 38th minute when Counter Logic took the Baron and made one last push to seal the deal. While another close match is something the fans would like to see, there is little to suggest CG have enough firepower to withstand CLG’s aggression and overall quality.
The fight between Ruin and Heo “Huni” Seung-hoon will be under the spotlight on Saturday, as both teams rely heavily on their top laners. That is especially the case for CG, as their only win condition is for Huni to get up and extend his pressure to the other lanes. Ruin will have to do his best to prevent that from happening.
Clutch’s reliance on Huni means Nam “Lira” Tae-yoo will have to focus on helping his teammate, leaving the other lanes to carry their own weight in the early game. That, combined with CLG’s known early aggression, can only mean one thing.
Expect Counter Logic to establish a big early lead before Huni and Lira can takedown Ruin and turn the game in CG’s favour.
Prediction: Counter Logic Gaming to win – -163.93 at BetOnline
