Thieves edge Heretics in CDL Stage 1 Major qualifying

Field Level Media|published: Sat 25th January, 04:17 2025

A backlit keyboard is part of the gear online video game streamer Jordan Woodruff uses in his Gilbert home. Jordan Woodruff

The Los Angeles Thieves pulled out a 3-2 win over the Miami Heretics on Friday to move into a tie for second place in qualifying for the Call of Duty League's Stage 1 Major.

The Thieves and idle OpTic Texas are both 5-1, just behind the Toronto Ultra (6-0). The Heretics fell into a tie for eighth place at 2-4.

In other Friday action, the Vancouver Surge edged the Carolina Royal Ravens 3-2, and the Atlanta FaZe swept the Boston Breach 3-0.

Los Angeles opened with a 250-150 victory on Vault Hardpoint before Miami captured Protocol Search and Destroy 6-1. The Thieves again moved in front by claiming Hacienda Control 3-1, but the Heretics pulled level by winning 250-226 on Hacienda Hardpoint. The decisive fifth map, Hacienda Search and Destroy, went to Los Angeles 6-2.

Carolina prevailed 250-192 on Red Card Hardpoint, but Vancouver replied with a 6-4 win on Vault Search and Destroy and a 3-2 triumph on Hacienda Control. After the Royal Ravens took Skyline Hardpoint 250-218, the Surge sealed the match with a 6-5 win on Protocol Search and Destroy.

Atlanta downed Boston 250-234 on Skyline Hardpoint, 6-1 on Protocol Search and Destroy and 3-0 on Protocol Control.

Qualifying concludes with six matches this weekend:

Saturday

--Vancouver Surge vs. Minnesota Rokkr

--Vegas Falcons vs. Los Angeles Guerrillas M8

--Miami Heretics vs. Carolina Royal Ravens

Sunday

--Boston Breach vs. Los Angeles Thieves

--Atlanta FaZe vs. Cloud9 New York

--Toronto Ultra vs. OpTic Texas

Call of Duty League 2025 Stage 1 Major qualifiers standings (win-loss record, map win-loss differential):

1. Toronto Ultra, 6-0, plus-10