The name Donovan “F2Tekkz” Hunt is synonymous with the FIFA 19 Global Series, and the 17-year-old decimated the competition in the first ever ePremier League final. The FIFA professional has obliterated the rest of the field in the competitive FIFA season, but no triumph will mean more for him that the ePL, with the teenager winning the competition for his club, Liverpool.
Both F2Tekkz and Liverpool had demons to overcome in London, with Tekkz breaking his duck at the Gfinity Arena and lifting a trophy for the first time, and of course Liverpool winning silverware for the first time in seven years.
The world number one FIFA player defeated Manchester United’s Kyle “Kyle Leese_” Leese 6-2 in the grand final, and credit must go to the United man who produced one of the greatest stories of the whole tournament. Leese was ranked 172nd in the world before the tournament, but by coming out on top on the PS4 side of the draw earns him 850 rankings points which should see him into the world top 30.
Tekkz said: “Everyone though I was going to walk it, but everyone I’ve played has been good, it’s been a struggle every game. I managed to win it, and that’s all that matters.”
Tekkz turns on the styleManchester United KyleLeese_ 2-6 Liverpool F2 Tekkz
The advantage in the cross-console final was always going to be with Tekkz, as Leese was severely inexperienced on Xbox One. The United star needed to start well on his home PS4 console, but an early goal from Liverpool’s own Virgil van Dijk was a dagger through the heart of the Red Devils.
One became two, and two became three as Tekkz hurt Manchester United where hit hurts by grabbing a brace with their son Marcus Rashford, and he still had time on the PS4 to add another with Heung-Min Son, perhaps the most influential player of the tournament.
Tekkz was clearly more relaxed with the advantage he had as well as reverting back to his preferred Xbox One console for the second leg, and if he had one hand on the trophy already, the second was nearing with an early goal from Kevin De Bruyne. Credit to Leese, he dug deep to respond from a corner with Sergio Aguero, but Tekkz had the last say, rounding the victory off with a little dink from Heung-Min Son.
PS4 final
Chelsea Jas1875 2-3 (AET) Man Utd KyleLeese
Chelsea’s Jas “Jas1875” Singh was the slight favourite in the PS4 final, yet to taste defeat in the Finals and he took the early advantage against Leese. A deflected Marcus Rashford effort crept past a stranded David De Gea, but United weren’t lying down however, with Kevin De Bruyne responding for Leese. Sergio Aguero then popped up late on in the first leg for the Old Trafford side as they held on for a surprise first leg victory
Jas got things back on terms in the second leg thanks to Rashford again, but things turned into a chess match as neither man wanted to give anything away so deep into the competition. It went to extra time, and a kick-off goal from Heung-Min Son was the crushing blow for Leese, and he even had another chance to seal the victory. A bitter pill to swallow for Jas, who was the player of the tournament for many.
Xbox One finalFulham (SCP Diogo) 3-4 Liverpool (F2Tekkz)
The cat was firmly put amongst the pigeons as Fulham’s Diogo “SCP Diogo” Mendes raced into a two-goal lead against the hot favourite in Tekkz, thanks to the quality of Marcus Rashford in the box. Diogo, who is part of the Sporting Lisbon esports side, was in control of the tie, but as time went on you sensed Tekkz was going to strike. As the clock struck 85 minutes, Sergio Aguero beat his man and fired in, and in injury time N’Golo Kante showed neat footwork to pop one in off the post, stealing a 2-2 draw.
It came as no surprise for Tekkz to take the lead in the second leg thanks to Heung-Min Son, but full credit to Diogo for staying in it as he pulled one back through Eden Hazard. Like the PS4 final, things got cagey, as the two sides couldn’t be separated at full-time. Penalties looks to be on the cards after Tekkz chose to keep the ball from a corner in injury time, but he recycled the ball, with Sergio Aguero flicking the ball up and crossing for Dominic Calvert-Lewin of all players to head home and claim him another 850 Global Series points.
PS4 semi-finalsCrystal Palace Damie 2-4 Chelsea Jas1875
Jas became the first man to book a spot in a console final, with the Blues’ PS4 man seeing off Crystal Palace’s Damie “Damie” Augustyniak in a thrilling London derby. Jas raced into a 2-0 lead with Marcus Rashford and Eden Hazard poking goals in for the Chelsea man. Damie responded through Son, but Jas missed the chance to put a foot in the final when his penalty from Rashford was saved by Damie. A Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang deflected effort looked to have done the business for Jas, but the Polish Damie wasn’t going away with Son popping up yet again. Finally, a Marcus Rashford effort with 10 minutes to go put Jas out of sight an into the PS4 final.
Man Utd KyleLeese_ 2-1 Southampton Venny
It was a tense affair between United’s Kyle Leese and Owen “Venny” Venn of Southampton with the Saints man missing a hatful of chances in the 2-1 defeat. Venny took the lead thanks to real-life United star Marcus Rashford and managed to hold out a nervy first leg marred by connectivity issues. Venny was unbeaten thus far, but he was tested once Kevin De Bruyne equalised early in the first leg, and with 20 minutes to go, a defensive error combined with some superb individual skill from N’Golo Kante saw Leese take the lead. Off the kick off Venny won a penalty, and it was typical that Rashford would have the final say, missing a penalty against his real-life side.
Xbox One semi-finalsArsenal Tass 1-2 Fulham SCP Diogo
It was an upset in Xbox semi-final as Fulham’s Diogo “SCP Diogo” Mendes overcame the giants of Arsenal and Tassal “Tass” Rushan. Kevin De Bruyne gave the Cottagers the lead but Tass responded with Paul Pogba grabbing a superbly worked equaliser. Diogo then pulled ahead through Serigio Aguero, although he had to rely on some phenomenal work from David De Gea and plus some help form the post to hold out a 0-0 draw in the second leg, claiming the aggregate victory.
Liverpool F2Tekkz 4-1 Man Utd Jonesy17FIFA
Tekkz finally got his Gfinity monkey off his back, with the world number one finally making a console final at the Gfinity Arena. The Liverpool star put Manchester United rival Josh “Jonesy17FIFA” Jones to the sword in a crushing 4-1 aggregate victory. A Heung-Min Son brace gave Tekkz a 2-0 advantage in the first leg, but Jonesy gave himself a chance by pulling one back through Raheem Sterling. Things could have been so different had the United man not hit the post twice, but a goal from Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang gave Tekkz the breathing space he needed. The champ then turned on the style with more strikes from Son and Eden Hazard, to take momemntum into the console final.
PS4 quarter-finalsCrystal Palace (Damie) 4-1 Huddersfield (Croftyboy925)
Chelsea (Jas1875) 4-3 Arsenal (Paps)
Man City (Deto) 0-1 Man Utd (KyleLeese_)
Southampton (Venny) 3-1 Cardiff (LukasMcilwee)
Xbox One quarter-finalsMan City (iBattle Cat) 0-2 Arsenal (Tass)
Tottenham (Lyricz) 1-1* Fulham (SCP Diogo) *Fulham win 5-4 on penalties
Southampton (Rusher70x) 3-6 Liverpool (F2Tekkz)
Man Utd (Jonesy17FIFA) 6-4 Bournemouth (Marc Marley)
Competitive FIFA 19 action returnts to the Gfinity Arena this weekend 5-7 April with FUT Champions Cup April. Tune in on Twitch and YouTube or click here for more info.