G2 Minnesota manhandle Surge in CDL Major 2 qualifying

G2 Minnesota swept the Vancouver Surge 3-0 on Friday to move into third place in Call of Duty League Stage 2 Major qualifying.

Minnesota (6-4) trails only OpTic Texas (9-0) and Miami Heretics (6-3). The latter two clubs were both idle on Friday.

In the other two Friday matches as the final weekend of qualifying got underway, FaZe Vegas edged the Paris Gentle Mates 3-2, and the Carolina Royal Ravens downed last-place Cloud9 New York 3-1.

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. The runner-up will get $90,000 and 75 CDL points.

On Friday, Minnesota cruised past Vancouver 250-70 on Blackheart Hardpoint, 6-3 on Exposure Search and Destroy and 7-3 on Den Overload.

Paris jumped in front with a 250-196 win on Scar Hardpoint before Vegas captured Raid Search and Destroy 6-1 and Exposure Overload 6-5. The Gentle Mates leveled the series by taking Den Hardpoint 250-240, but FaZe sealed the victory by prevailing 6-2 on Scar Search and Destroy.

Carolina claimed Blackheart Hardpoint 250-135, but New York replied with a 6-5 win on Exposure Search and Destroy. The Royal Ravens then closed out the set with a 5-2 triumph on Exposure Overload and a 250-187 victory on Scar Hardpoint.

The remaining qualifying schedule:

Saturday

--Miami Heretics vs. Carolina Royal Ravens

--FaZe Vegas vs. Cloud9 New York

--Riyadh Falcons vs. OpTic Texas

--Los Angeles Thieves vs. G2 Minnesota

Sunday

--Vancouver Surge vs. Riyadh Falcons

--Paris Gentle Mates vs. Los Angeles Thieves

--Miami Heretics vs. Boston Breach

--Toronto KOI vs. OpTic Texas

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

1. OpTic Texas, 9-0, +20

2. Miami Heretics, 6-3, +9

3. G2 Minnesota, 6-4, +3

T4. Riyadh Falcons, 5-4, +5

T4. Los Angeles Thieves, 5-4, +5

6. Toronto KOI, 5-5, +2

7. FaZe Vegas, 5-5, 0

8. Carolina Royal Ravens, 5-5, -1

9. Paris Gentle Mates, 4-6, -3

10. Boston Breach, 3-7, -10

11. Vancouver Surge, 3-7, -13

12. Cloud9 New York, 2-8, -17

--Field Level Media