Mtel Lion City
 | This article is incomplete because it is pending further input from participants, or it is a work-in-progress by one author. Please comment on this article's talk page to share your input, comments and questions. Note: To contribute to this article, you may need to seek help from the author(s) of this page. |
 | |
| Full name | Mäusch Telecom Lowënstadt Gaming |
|---|---|
| Nicknames | Lion City |
| Short name | MTLS |
| Founded | April 27, 2018 |
| League | Bahian Continental Avatar League (BCAL) |
| Division | Mauchan Division |
| Region | Bahia |
| Colors | Red and White |
| Owner | Wilfred Beno |
| Head coach | Jezaga Zemhinou |
| Manager | Jezaga Zemhinou |
| Mascot | Lion |
| Members | 8 |
| Main sponsor | Mtel |
The Mtel Lion City (Weranian: Mtel Lowënstadt), officially the M.Telcom Lion City Gaming (Weranian: M.Telecom Lowënstadt Gaming), is a professional esports team based in Nambabi, Maucha. With humble beginnings in a shared dorm close to the University of Nambabi, the 5 original members were all Challenger tier players of [Avatar (video game)|Avatar] and decided to enter a local amateur league organized by students. Their performance called the attention of multiple sponsors, including M.Telecom and L&L Investment Group that, in 2018, helped turning the team into the most successful esports team in Maucha. Mtel Lion City is a current participant and a finalist in the 2021 Avatar World Championship.
History
Amateur Team
At first called Avatritons, the team formed by Anasa Schmitd (DaRula), Lifa Jadezweni (XtaZ), Lewis Goli (, Ansel Ayo, and Fezile Mavuso dominated the amateur Avatar leagues around the city of Nambabi. They played their first game in the League of Challangers in 2014, finishing the season unbeaten. The Avatritons dominated the amateur scenario in Nambabi until the University of Nambabi asked them to represent the institution in a regional Avatar semi-professional cup in 2016.
2020 Season
Although too late to preform in the 2019 season, the team began immediate preperations for the 2020 season, working on training together as a team. Under Delacroix's leadership, the team quickly clicked together, seeing marked success on the field against early competitors throughout the 2020 season. The funding from the Bank of the Orient allowed for the players to dedicate their time to playing together and improving, playing against both teams from Asteria Inferior but also engaging in exhibition matches against more notable teams from Asteria Superior. The team quickly was propelled to the forefront of the Asterian Avatar scene, and was regarded as the first Arucian team with a serious chance of performing well at the international level. Their successful play during the 2020 season earned them a spot at the Asteria Inferior regional championships, where they swept the competition and walked away victorious and with a garunteed spot to the Avatar World Championships in Kesselbourg City.
Despite their success on the regional level, the Angels were regarded as underdogs, as Asteria Inferior had been one of the poorest performing leagues in the world and the Angels were still unknown to most of the world. However, the team had a very successful start, upsetting longtime powerhouse the Les Amateurs in the first round of the championships. However, as the tournament progressed, they began to have more difficulties, ending the tournament on a 6-5 record and being forced into tiebreakers. They managed to win their tiebreakers and secured fifth place in the elimination round, which meant that they were in danger of elimination every round against the higher-seeded teams. To the world's surprise, the Angels manage to win the next three rounds, narrowly making it to the final round against the Amathian SilverknightS. In the finals of the World Championship, they were able to beat the SilverknightS 3 times, but were bested in game seven, earning them second place in the tournament.
The World Championship thrust the team into the international spotlight, as despite just a recent formation the team had found remarkable success at the tournament, the first time an Asterian Inferior team had advanced that far in the tournament. This success also greatly expanded interest in Avatar to the West Arucian, particularly Sainte-Chloé and Imagua and the Assimas, and increased revenue sales for the Bank of the Orient. In the off-season, the team engaged in publicity events and charitable work to solidify their reputation and also garner future interest in the esport on a wider scale.
Recent Status
Before the beginning of the 2021 season, the Angels, under Derasmo's decision, replaced the old Bot Roamer, 29 year-old Lyonel Thompson, with the younger Chloéois Louis Lejeune, a move which caused some controversy in the team as was disliked by several members of the team. Lejueune was a talented player and highly regarded in the Avatar scene, however, he was also known for having temperamental issues and other problems. Despite initial reluctance, the team was able to work well together, replicating the same success they had had the previous year on the local and regional level. After another successful season, they again dominated the Asteria Inferior championship, pushing them onwards again to the world championship in Bagabiada in Dezevau.
Unlike the previous year, where the team was unknown and unproven, the Angels were considered a force to be reckoned with and a likely contender for the championship. The Angels pushed far ahead, winning their first five consecutive games and ultimately losing only 2 games in the Round Robin phase, putting them at a high 9-2 record. Thus they were ranked first in the elimination round, giving them an automatic bye in the eights and only requiring them to play in the quarters. After beating Mtel Lion City in the quarters, they earned another bye round until the finals.