OpTic improve to 9-0 in CDL Stage 2 Major qualifying

OpTic Texas survived a stiff test from the Paris Gentle Mates but kept their unbeaten mark intact with a 3-2 victory on Friday as Week 5 of qualifying for the Call of Duty League Stage 2 Major began.

Texas improved to 9-0, well clear of the second-place Miami Heretics, who improved to 5-3 with a 3-0 sweep of the Riyadh Falcons.

In the day's other match, last-place Cloud9 New York slipped past the Toronto KOI 3-2.

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.

On Friday, OpTic produced a 250-165 victory on Colossus Hardpoint before Paris took Raid Search and Destroy 6-5 and Scar Overload 2-1. Texas rallied to capture Scar Hardpoint 250-200 and Scar Search and Destroy 6-5.

Miami bested Riyadh 250-233 on Scar Hardpoint, 6-5 on Raid Search and Destroy and 6-2 on Scar Overload.

Toronto opened with a 250-166 win on Scar Hardpoint. New York replied by taking Colossus Search and Destroy 6-3 and Exposure Overload 5-4. The KOI extended the series by prevailing 250-154 on Colossus Hardpoint, but Cloud9 closed out the victory by a 6-4 count on Raid Search and Destroy.

The remaining Week 5 matches:

Saturday

--G2 Minnesota vs. Carolina Royal Ravens

--Vancouver Surge vs. Toronto KOI

--Los Angeles Thieves vs. Cloud9 New York

--Paris Gentle Mates vs. Boston Breach

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, 4-3, +6

4. GS Minnesota, 4-3, +1

5. Riyadh Falcons, 4-4, +2

6. Toronto KOI, 4-5, 0

7. Carolina Royal Ravens, 3-4, -3

8. Vancouver Surge, 3-4, -5

9. Boston Breach, 3-5, -6

T10. FaZe Vegas, 3-5, -4

T10. Paris Gentle Mates, 3-5, -4

12. Cloud9 New York, 2-6, -13

--Field Level Media