Man against mentors: Axiom-Acer vs SouL, GSTL week 2

Axiom-Acer are scary.

This is what every team in GSTL probably thinks, daily. The joint roster did not hesitate to show their new muscle and in the opening day of the tournament last week they easily dealt a 4-0 beating to FXOpen, the team that was once the king of the GSTL.

Axiom-Acer are scary, even more so now that MVP and Incredible Miracle are gone from the eSF and GSTL. They might be foreign-based but their roster is all Korean with the slight exception of Scarlett, who’s pretty much on Korean level. There are Cella-trained champions, KeSPA-trained champions and MLG high finishers. For everyone following A-A’s performance last GSTL or the results of either of the two brands in other team leagues there wasn’t even a sliver of a doubt that the alliance will be among the top teams this season.

What people were really asking today was: Can Axiom-Acer score another all-kill? Can the ex-KeSPA SouL stand against the might of the joint roster, including their former weapon Innovation? What can SouL do without their captain, their coach and two of their best Protoss? Can Hyvaa lead the six-man roster to playoffs through a format they’re not used to playing as much as the GSTL teams?
 

Today’s match in particular was kind enough to answer some of those concerns. The day began with MMA playing Trap and the Terran quickly channeled his 62% win rate in the match-up against Trap’s unsatisfactory PvT record. Utilizing tech-sniping drops combined with brutal head-on attacks, MMA fought through incremental advantages to win the lead for his team. The lead was doubled after an analogical game against Dear and with both their Protoss players lying in the dirt, SouL had no choice but to turn to other parts of their roster.

MMA drilling through Trap's storms

Down two games and with MMA gaining more momentum by the second, STX’s next choice in the unproven YoungJoo seemed strange to say the least. With just four games in StarCraft 2 overall, didn’t look like an MMA-sniper at all and was more of a SouL’s last option before Hyvaa gets his turn.

Expectedly, the slaughter was brutal to behold but at the same time fortunately short. MMA continued his gameplay trend of boarding units in medivacs and unloading death onto his opponents. This time around, however, a frontal attack was almost not needed and as a marine raiding party sniped down both the spire and spawning pool of YoungJoo, Wolf and Khaldor readily announced that this was “Game over”. The audience needn’t wait much longer for their words to be officially confirmed.

The all-kill just around the corner, SouL were in almost in panic mode and with their options running dry, it was no shocker seeing the new team captain Hyvaa stepping in the booth.

Spire of YoungJoo is gone, spawning pool to follow suit

Known for his quirky playstyle, Hyvaa’s first official game in the GSTL was most fitting. Throwing a 10-pool would otherwise be considered a risky opening against a Terran, particularly because of the wall-off, but the stars aligned perfectly for the Zerg. The proxy reaper opening of MMA had left his entrance wide open and inviting to Hyvaa’s lings. In two attacks, SouL’s ace made sure that Axiom-Acer don’t get their second all-kill for the season.

Alicia was sent as A-A’s third player and this time it would be Hyvaa on the receiving end of rarely seen openings. Whereas the Zerg geared for a standard hydra-centric composition, Alicia came at him with a two-base blink stalker timing which almost broke the hope of team SouL. Blink micro got Alicia as close as getting Hyvaa’s third down to red health but it was there that Hyvaa’s hydra numbers started to snowball and push the stalkers back. Behind on economy and unsuccessful in sniping the third hatchery, Alicia surrendered and his team was now only a game ahead.

At 3-2, Axiom-Acer didn’t want to leave anything to chance and in order to prevent a potential ace match, they called for Innovation and sent him against his former mentors. And so began a game that would grow into grandeur just a few minutes later.

The converted ex-SouL weapon snapped with ferocity at its former masters from the very first seconds of the game. With a Bomber-esque 4M pressure and unstopping barracks and starports, Innovation brought early game pressure which almost broke Hyvaa before the 15th minute mark. Zerg’s muta/baneling was useless, Innovation’s marine split denying all splash damage, and Hyvaa was shown on multiple times that he’s being outclassed in this match-up.

Yet where others would die, Hyvaa lived. Sneaking an expansion under the nose of Innovation’s aggression allowed him to survive the gunfire coming from his ex-teammate. Playing a ZvT style which utilized fungal growths and ultralisk transition further helped Hyvaa’s cause and the Zerg soon started to push Innovation back.

The macro of the Season 1 champion could not be easily denied, however. Securing his half of the map allowed Innovation to produce the necessary number of marines to fight the cost-efficient ultra/fungal army of Hyvaa. After more minutes of slaughter, the SouL captain finally admitted defeat and led his team to a negative start of the season.

With his recent results, Innovation has really raised questions about his actual form. His inability to make the Season 2 playoffs left SC2 fans wondering if maybe the "greatest player in the world" will see the end of his reign. His recently played Code S group also did not go to him and he came second behind DRG, losing to him in a match-up that everyone praised him for.

With the GSTL in his second week of competition, however, Innovation is easily casting aside all doubts and speculations how joining a foreign team might hamper his skills. His 4-0 against FXOpen in week one was a flashy way to begin his career in Acer and his TvZ against Hyvaa today was equally impressive. With him as the spearhead, Axiom-Acer are indeed looking as the favorites to take the season.

MMA fans has been awaiting his return for a long while now and this GSTL might very well be it. 

Looking at his games today, MMA looks to be in incredible shape. The way he played his TvP's against Trap and Dear wil make every coach consider sending Protoss against him, or at least Protoss who have troubles defending their tech at 17 different places. Even if smashing Trap isn't the most impressive feat, defeating Dear in his best match-up certainly is.

We're still to see how MMA will perform in TvZs (the game against YoungJoo was too one-sided to be of any indication) and especially in TvT, which is still MMA's worst match-up, but hopes should be high for the ex-SlayerS star.

No player would like to be in Hyvaa's position. Appointed team captain in the absence of Calm as well as team ace after the departure of Innovation, Hyvaa has almost too much weight on his shoulders. He's also leading an ex-KeSPA team that's stepping into the eSF neighborhood and although much water flowed since 2012, the KeSPA/eSF rivalry is still a thing.

Fortunately, what we saw today strongly indicates that Hyvaa has what it takes to stand in the face of danger and win. His Proleague record might not have been the best (in fact, at 13-26 it was kind of bad) but the way he played the Innovation game was breathtaking. Although his quirkiness might become the unmaking of SouL in important matches, Hyvaa truly is blue shirts' best option.