For the second year running, young Donovan ‘Tekkz’ Hunt has won the first FUT Champions Cup of the season but this time it was in much more dominant fashion.
Tekkz thrashed Joksan Redona 7-1 (3-0, 4-1) in the grand final to take home $50,000 but, perhaps more importantly to the youngster, the trophy and 1,500 Global Series points. This was the second live event of FIFA 19 but the first major one that featured both consoles.
The thrilling tournament offered hours of entertainment and drama over the weekend, here are the five biggest talking points.
F2 Tekkz is the best player in the world
Last year, Tekkz exploded onto the scene by winning his first ever tournament, FUT Champs Barcelona, at just 16 years of age. However, for the rest of the year, Tekkz wasn’t able to reach the same lofty heights.
After signing for the F2 Freestylers in a massive brand deal, Tekkz had a huge target on his back and the pressure seemed to be too much for him.
A year on and that target is still permanently painted on Tekkz but he wears it with pride. Before the tournament began many fancied Tekkz as the best player in the world due to his consistent performances in the weekend league.
He maintained his supremacy on stage to comfortably win the FUT Champions Cup in Bucharest, Romania. This time he doesn’t look like slowing down and could be a potent force throughout the season.
Epsilon Joksan is undisputedly the PlayStation Champion
While the grand final didn’t go his way, Joksan will still be delighted with his season so far. The Epsilon player joked on his Instagram that he has practically qualified for the eWorld Cup next year after being crowned the PlayStation champion once again.
Joksan shocked a lot of people in the first ever FIFA 19 tournament, as he won the PlayStation Continental Cup in Paris. Now the American is another $30k richer after defeating Brazilian player Victor ‘SPQR_Tore’ Santos in the PlayStation final.
Joksan is near untouchable on his home console, after a brutal grand final he’ll have realised he needs to improve his Xbox gameplay to go one step further in these tournaments.
The 4-2-3-1 is the best formation in FIFA 19
Without a doubt, the most popular formation in Bucharest was the 4-2-3-1 and it certainly worked well for eventual champion Tekkz.
The champion used the formation to devastating effect with a terrifying front four of Pele, Icon Ronaldo, Eusebio and Champions League Cristiano Ronaldo.
Fnatic’s Damian ‘Damie’ Augustyniak also used the formation when he won the West Ham eSports Cup. Damie told Goal that he is trying to learn the formation as quickly as possible as it allows you to keep possession and control the game.
The surprise package of the tournament
Melbourne City’s Marcus Gomes had potentially the greatest performance of any Australian player ever at a FIFA tournament as he stormed through the competition in Bucharest. Gomes was on top form but lost in the Xbox semi-finals to the eventual winner, Tekkz.
Not only did Gomes exceed everyone’s expectations, he also won the craziest game of the tournament as he defeated Danny ‘Proownez’ Liepolt on penalties.
The ridiculous match started with Gomes dominating the first leg 3-0 after saving a penalty. Most, including EA’s broadcast team, assumed the series was over but Proownez sensationally came back in the second leg to make it 4-3 to him on aggregate. However, with the final shot of the game, Gomes scored to bring things level.
Things weren’t finished there either as Gomes took a two-goal lead in extra-time but Proownez was able to find two late goals to bring the aggregate score to 6-6. Then came the penalty shoot-out which took around 16 shots to finish but it was Gomes who eventually came out on top. While that’s never the ideal way to win, Gomes proved his mettle and his ability to stay calm under pressure - a crucial trait for any aspiring FIFA champion.
FIFA 19 favours skillers
One thing that was instantly noticeable about Tekkz when he debuted was how often he used skill moves in his gameplay - it was what convinced the F2 Freestylers to sign him in the first place.
That playstyle is suiting Tekkz perfectly in FIFA 19 and is partly why he’s so dominant this season. Former pro player David Bytheway has a lot of experience from FIFA tournaments but admitted on Twitter: “Don't think I've ever seen a more unpredictable attack as what Tekkz has on FIFA 19.”
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