Carolina shake up CDL Major 2 qualifying standings with Minnesota sweep

The Carolina Royal Ravens moved into playoff position with four match days remaining thanks to a sweep of GS Minnesota as Week 5 of qualifying for the Call of Duty League Stage 2 Major continued on Saturday.

Minnesota entered the day in fourth while Carolina was in seventh, but the resounding loss dropped Minnesota -- which has lost two straight and three of its last four -- into seventh place.

In other Friday action, Los Angeles Thieves remained in third place with a defeat of Cloud9 New York, Toronto KOI moved into fourth place with a 3-1 win over Vancouver Surge and Paris Gentle Mates boosted their bubble standing with a 3-1 victory against Boston Breach.

The 12 Call of Duty League teams are playing a full qualifying round robin to determine seeding for the second major of the season, to be held March 27-29 in Marston Green, England, as part of the DreamHack Birmingham event.

The top six teams in qualifying head straight into the Stage 2 Major playoffs, while the teams in seventh through 10th place will compete in a play-in round.

The Stage 2 Major champion will receive $150,000 and 100 Call of Duty League points, while the runner-up will get $90,000 and 75 CDL points.

Carolina pulled off the sweep of Minnesota with a 250-234 hardpoint win on Scar followed by a pair of wins on Exposure, 6-4 in Search and Destroy and 6-2 in Overload.

Toronto claimed the opener 250-196 in Colossus Hardpoint and bounced back from a 6-4 Exposure Search and Destroy Vancouver win by securing a 6-3 Exposure Overload win and closing with a 250-235 Scar Hardpoint success.

Los Angeles opened with a commanding 250-95 Colossus Hardpoint win, lost the second game 6-4 in Scar Search and Destroy but closed out the win to snap a three-match losing streak with a 5-3 Scar Overload victory followed by a 250-108 Scar Hardpoint rout.

In the final match of the day, Paris took a 2-0 lead with a 250-246 Colossus Hardpoint win and a 6-4 Scar Search and Destroy victory. Boston briefly extended the match with a 4-2 Den Overload win but Paris secured the match win with a 250-176 Den Hardpoint triumph.

The remaining Week 5 matches:

Sunday

--G2 Minnesota vs. Boston Breach

--Vancouver Surge vs. Miami Heretics

--Riyadh Falcons vs. Los Angeles Thieves

--FaZe Vegas vs. Carolina Royal Ravens

Call of Duty League Stage 2 Major qualifying standings (match record, map differential)

1. OpTic Texas, 9-0, +20

2. Miami Heretics, 5-3, +6

3. Los Angeles Thieves, 5-3, +8

4. Toronto KOI, 5-5, +2

5. Riyadh Falcons, 4-4, +2

6. Carolina Royal Ravens, 4-4, 0

7. G2 Minnesota, 4-4, -2

8. Paris Gentle Mates, 4-5, -2

9. FaZe Vegas, 3-5, -4

10. Vancouver Surge, 3-5, -7

11. Boston Breach, 3-6, -8

12. Cloud9 New York, 2-7, -15

--Field Level Media