With each passing day, the Los Angeles Thieves look more and more like the team to beat in the Call of Duty League Stage 2 Major qualifier.
A day after sweeping their opponents to remain unbeaten in the tournament, the Thieves did the same thing Saturday, beating the Boston Breach 3-0 to improve to 5-0 in the event. What’s more, second-place Cloud9 New York took their second loss, falling 3-1 to the Carolina Royal Ravens.
The Stage 2 Major qualifying round consists of 12 teams, with each playing seven qualifying matches through March 16 to determine seeding for the Stage 2 Major playoffs, slated for March 20-23 in Dallas.
The Thieves jumped all over the Breach on Saturday and never let up. They opened with a 250-170 win on Protocol Hardpoint, then took Red Card Search and Destroy 6-2. The Thieves then ended the match with a 3-0 shutout on Protocol Control.
Carolina took the first two games against Cloud9 — 250-197 on Skyline Hardpoint and 6-2 on Vault Search and Destroy. Cloud9 broke through with a 3-2 win on Protocol Control but the comeback ended there, as Carolina won 250-211 on Red Card Hardpoint to take the match.
The Atlanta FaZe had little trouble with the Minnesota Rokkr, winning 250-234 on Protocol Hardpoint, 6-2 on Red Card Search and Destroy, and 3-1 on Protocol Control. On the opposite side of the standings, OpTic Texas remained winless with a 3-0 loss to the Miami Heretics. Miami opened with a 186-175 win on Red Card Hardpoint, then followed that with a 6-2 win on Vault Search and Destroy. The Heretics then put the match away with a 3-1 win on Vault Control.
Play continues Sunday with four more matches scheduled:
–Vegas Falcons vs. Los Angeles Guerrillas MB
–Miami Heretics vs. Vancouver Surge
–Toronto Ultra vs. OpTic Texas
–Boston Breach vs. Atlanta FaZe
Call of Duty League Stage 2 Major qualifying standings (with match record and map differential):
1. Los Angeles Thieves, 5-0, plus-14
2. Vancouver Surge, 3-1, plus-2
3. Atlanta FaZe, 3-1, plus-6
4. Cloud9 New York, 4-2, plus-9
5. Carolina Royal Ravens, 3-2, plus-3
6. Toronto Ultra, 3-2, minus-1
7. Minnesota Rokkr, 3-2, plus-2
8. Miami Heretics, 2-2, plus-2
9. Boston Breach, 2-3, minus-4
10. Los Angeles Guerrillas M8, 0-4, minus-9
10. OpTic Texas, 0-4, minus-12
12. Vegas Falcons, 0-5, minus-12
–Field Level Media