MAD Lions move into first place in LEC Summer Split

G2 defeated Fnatic (3-4), Team Vitality (3-4) beat SK and Origen toppled FC Schalke 04 (0-7) in other action on Saturday. The eight-week Summer Split regular season features a double round-robin format with all matches best-of-one.

MAD Lions defeated Rogue on Saturday to move into sole possession of the first place in the Summer Split of the League of Legends European Championship (LEC). MAD Lions (6-1) recorded their sixth consecutive victory while handing Rogue (5-2) their second setback in three contests.

Misfits Gaming moved into a four-way tie for third place after collecting their third straight win, a victory over Excel Esports (2-5). Misfits are tied with G2 Esports, Origen and SK Gaming with a 4-3 record. G2 defeated Fnatic (3-4), Team Vitality (3-4) beat SK and Origen toppled FC Schalke 04 (0-7) in other activities on Saturday.

The eight-week Summer Split regular season features a double round-robin format with all matches best-of-one. Teams will play two matches each weekend, save the first and last weekend, during which teams will play three matches. When play concludes Aug. 9, the top six teams in the standings will advance to the Summer Split playoffs. All matches in the double-elimination postseason bracket will be best-of-five, running from Aug. 22 to Sept. 6. The top four teams will reach the winner's bracket; the bottom two will play in a losers-bracket opener. The lower-seeded loser of the winners-bracket opening round will play in the second round of the losers bracket. The higher-seeded loser of the winners-bracket opening round will get a bye to the third round of the losers bracket.

The top three teams will earn a spot in the League of Legends World Championship, scheduled to be played in China at a date to be announced. The fourth-place team will advance to the Worlds play-in event. Originally scheduled to have three spots in the Worlds, the LEC and the League of Legends Pro League (China) each received an extra slot when Riot Games announced the cancellation of the Mid-Season Invitational in April.

On Saturday, Zhago "Shad0w" Zhiqiang recorded an MVP performance for MAD Lions in their 32-minute win on blue. Kasper "Kobbe" Kobberup (Misfits) and Elias "Upset" Lipp (Origen) put forth an MVP effort for a tournament high-tying third time. Misfits' victory came in 29 minutes on red, while Origen won in 30 minutes on blue.

Rasmus "Caps" Borregaard Winther (G2) and Aljosa "Milica" Kovandzic (Vitality) also had MVP performances on Saturday. G2 beat Fnatic in 25 minutes on blue, and Vitality dispatched SK in 35 minutes on red. Week 4 begins Friday with five matches:

--Team Vitality vs. Excel Esports --MAD Lions vs. FC Schalke 04

--Fnatic vs. SK Gaming --Rogue vs. Origen

--Misfits Gaming vs. G2 Esports League of Legends European Championship Summer Split standings

1. MAD Lions, 6-1 2. Rogue, 5-2

T3. G2 Esports, 4-3 T3. Misfits Gaming, 4-3

T3. Origen, 4-3 T3. SK Gaming, 4-3

T7. Fnatic, 3-4 T7. Team Vitality, 3-4

9. Excel Esports, 2-5 10. FC Schalke 04, 0-7

--Field Level Media