Sydney FC’s E-League stars head to the Finals Series at Fortress Melbourne as 2020 Premiers.
The Sky Blues gamers’, FUTWIZ Marko and FUTWIZ Jamie, were taken to the wire by the Brisbane Roar pairing of Naylor and AussieFIFA, but a Round 11 Big Blue triumph against Melbourne Victory clinched the title.
Virtual reality mirrored real life as the Premiers’ only defeat came against crosstown rivals Western Sydney Wanderers, with Anezer’s 3-0 Xbox win against FUTWIZ Jamie – the brother of Red and Black midfielder Jordan O’Doherty – sparking the upset of Match Day 2 at ESL Studios in Sydney.
Brisbane made the biggest leap on the day, starting Round 7 in fifth place and claiming four wins and a draw to finish second on the ladder – only three points off the top.
Wellington Phoenix’s Kiwi duo Airbnb and Tundra Honey Badger took third place, while both Melbourne clubs will be represented at the southern hemisphere’s biggest esports arena, as City finished fifth and Victory sixth, edging E-League newcomers Western United out of the finals on goal difference.
Best of the action
Once again, N8 Dylan was the star of the show on the Xbox One. The competition’s youngest gamer, at 16 years old, mirrored his record from Match Day 1 with four wins from his five games as the Green and Black fell agonisingly short of qualifying for the E-League Finals Series.
On the Playstation 4, AussieFIFA was the inspiration behind the Queenslanders rise to second on the ladder. Four wins from five matches set up his stall as a genuine challenger for the Finals Series in May.
Goal of the day has to go to 18-year-old Dillon Gomes of Perth Glory. With most players expecting to defend a shot from this range, the younger brother of Melbourne City star Marcus pulls out a set-piece trick play out of his back pocket to allow Neymar to strike against Wellington.
The Wanderers finished up at the end of Round 11 in fourth.
Well there you have it 🙌
Congratulations to @SydneyFC's @FUTWIZMarko & @JamieODoherty, your #ELeague 2020 Premiers 👏 pic.twitter.com/JzRhwrnVs0
— E-League (@ELeagueAus) March 7, 2020
