Super Week Complete Recap » EsportsBets.com

March 2, 2021 f_admin Esports News 0

It is finally over!

We’ve reached the end of the Call of Duty League 2021 Super Week, which was brought about by the horrific storms that plagued the United States two weeks ago. To avoid any further scheduling issues, the League organisers postponed the second week and merged it with the third, creating a gargantuan, 20-match Super Week show.

It has been one hell of a journey, with teams battling themselves to exhaustion across a packed schedule, with some competitors playing four tense match-ups across a seven-day period. We’ve seen ups and downs, upsets and jubilation, crushing defeats, and glorious victories. While the majority of the week played out as expected, there were some huge twists as play unravelled, and some teams totally fought against the expectations of an entire industry.

As the week came to a close, the League organisers were eager to remind everyone of the upcoming Major I stage.

This stage will see $500,000 in prizes distributed among the best of the best, with every team facing off to be crowned the victors of the first Major Tournament of the entire season. There are some huge bragging rights up for grabs as well, with some teams entering the Major with a desperate need to gain some CDL points. Of course, we’ll be publishing our full predictions round-up ahead of the Major taking place.

Without further ado, let’s get into the total recap for the entire Super Week stage.

DAY ONE

Match 1: Los Angeles Guerrillas vs. Florida Mutineers

Result: Florida Mutineers win 3 – 1

Our Prediction: Los Angeles Guerrillas win

What started as an easy win for the Los Angeles Guerrillas quickly collapsed into a crushing defeat as the Florida Mutineers opened the Super Week with a valiant effort. We started this series on Crossroads, a rarely-seen map in the CDL, and the Guerrillas played flawlessly to snatch a considerable victory – 250 to 133.

However, the Mutineers weren’t willing to lose any further points to the Guerrillas, and they responded with a 6 – 3 victory in a round of Search and Destroy on the only night-time map in the game, Miami. Then, it switched out to a game of Control on Garrison, one of the hardest modes to play on this map. Although the Guerrillas tried their best, it wasn’t enough to overcome a dominant Florida.

Finally, we wrapped around into a Hardpoint on Garrison, and the Guerrillas’ earlier Hardpoint victory wasn’t enough to save them, with Florida grabbing a 250 – 172 win over the LA side.

Match 2: Toronto Ultra vs. Atlanta FaZe

Result: Atlanta FaZe win 3 – 1

Our Prediction: Atlanta FaZe win

For a moment, it seemed as though Toronto would be giving FaZe a real run for their money in this series, but alas, it wasn’t to be. The opening round was a Hardpoint on Raid, a fan favourite, with both sides giving as good as they got. It was a remarkably balanced face-off that ultimately went down to the wire, but FaZe clutched it at the last second to secure a 250 – 247 victory.

In the second round, Toronto shone a little brighter, sticking with Raid but switching over to a Search and Destroy. It was a total role reversal from the first round, with Ultra dominating the top table team in FaZe and pushing them to the line. It ended up as an Ultra victory, with the team standing tall on a 6 – 3 victory.

Bizarrely, the series stayed with Raid, switching out for a Control and finishing up the trifecta of the CDL. Ultra was regimented with clean comms and organised pushes, but it wasn’t enough to overcome FaZe who went 2 – 0 up without much of a challenge. Although Ultra fought back a little more aggressively towards the end, it wasn’t enough to win, and they fell into another loss.

The final round was a Hardpoint on Garrison, but Ultra was no real match for the super-dominant FaZe, who pushed this to a considerable victory, 250 – 128.

DAY TWO

Match 1: Paris Legion vs. Florida Mutineers

Result: Paris Legion win 3 – 0

Our Prediction: Paris Legion win

In the first truly dominant show of the series, Paris Legion forced the already-victorious Florida Mutineers into a tight corner, driving them down to a 3 – 0 loss. The morale boost that Florida had received the night before was decimated, with Legion refusing to drop a single point against the NA side.

We opened up the series with a Hardpoint on Garrison, and my God, what a balanced face-off it was. Paris Legion was tenacious, with Skrapz and Aqua absolutely slaying, but it was neck and neck the entire way. In a shock result, the match timed out before either team could reach the 250-point, but Paris Legion was just two points ahead and secured the first round.

As we jumped into a Search and Destroy on Checkmate, things slowed down a little, with both teams recognising that this was going to be a closely-fought battle. Slacked (FLA) and Skrapz (PAR) were both flying at the start, with Owakening (FLA) pulling off some impressive moves throughout. However, Paris came back from a 3 – 2 disadvantage to secure a big win at 6 – 4.

The final match-up was a round of Control on Raid, but Legion fully flexed their dominant ability and snatched a 3 – 1 win, effectively burying Florida where they stood.

Match 2: New York Subliners vs. London Royal Ravens

Result: New York Subliners win 3 – 0

Our Prediction: London Royal Ravens win

Two 3 – 0 wins back to back? You couldn’t have predicted it!

The Subliners started off their season in the CDL with a crushing defeat at the hands of the LA Thieves, but it seems as though that loss inspired them to play much better than they did. To that end, they decided to wipe the London Royal Ravens off the face of the competition with a dominant victory.

We started with a round of Hardpoint on Garrison, with industry veteran Clayster slaying and dominating the entire map, from top green to bricks. Although Seany gave it a fair go, it wasn’t enough to retaliate against a demanding NY side, and the Subliners claimed a 250 – 151 victory.

Then, we rolled over to a Search and Destroy on Checkmate, with the Subliners storming through to a 6 – 1 win. On the London side, Parasite was trying his best, but it just wasn’t enough to clip the impressive might of the Subliners.

Finally, the two sides faced off on a round of Control, once again being handed Checkmate as the map of choice. Unfortunately, the Royal Ravens dramatically dropped the ball, losing by a mile, the Subliners dominating 3 – 0.

Match 3: Seattle Surge vs. Minnesota Rokkr

Result: Minnesota Rokkr win 3 – 0

Our Prediction: Minnesota Rokkr win

What?! A THIRD 3 – 0 win, all on the same day?

Seattle Surge was the latest to face the wrath of Rokkr, picking up a devastating 3 – 0 loss that directly mirrored their first match in the 2021 CDL season, during which they lost to Dallas by the same amount. This devastating bout started with a round of Hardpoint on Checkmate, with Priestahh (MIN) effectively outplaying his entire team to dominate the space. Rokkr picked up a big win of 250 – 163, with the tone of the series well and truly set.

In the second round, Surge threw out a huge push, trying their best to regain some lost ground, but although they pushed this Search and Destroy on Raid to an eleventh round, it wasn’t enough to overcome Rokkr. Finally, the two sides took part in a round of Control, once again on Raid, with Surge playing a little more aggressively, desperate to get a point down.

However, it wasn’t enough for the Seattle side, and Rokkr ultimately picked up a 3 – 2 victory.

DAY THREE

Match 1: London Royal Ravens vs. Dallas Empire

Result: Dallas Empire win 3 – 2

Our Prediction: Dallas Empire win

London refused to be made a mockery of again, and they came forward with gusto and valiant efforts, but unfortunately, it wasn’t enough to overcome the Empire. However, this was the first map-five round of the entire Super Week, so it goes to show that London was nothing if not resilient.

We started this face-off on Moscow, which, bizarrely, was the first appearance of this larger map since the start of the Super Week. London’s spirit shone through, and they secured a remarkable 250 – 160 victory over Dallas Empire, who were extremely slow to start.

It doesn’t come all week, then it comes twice at once – another Moscow, this time a Search and Destroy. Although the Royal Ravens were playing well, Dallas Empire effortlessly overtook them in this match, securing a 6 -3 victory and pushing it to a neck and neck 1 -1 scoreline.

The third round was a game of Control on Garrison, the rotation that every Call of Duty League player loves to hate. Unfortunately, it proved to be a weak spot for the Royal Ravens, who fell again at the feet of Dallas in a 3 – 2 loss. However, that wasn’t the end of this series, as both teams transitioned to a Hardpoint on Garrison, with the Royal Ravens eager to score another point against their North American competitors.

And win they did, netting a timed-out victory of 235 – 228 against Dallas, pushing this to the first map-five face-off of the week.

It all ended with a Search and Destroy on Miami, and the Dallas Empire overcame the Royal Ravens in a tough-fought battle. It all ended up with a 6 – 4 win for Dallas.

Match 2: Seattle Surge vs. LA Thieves

Result: LA Thieves win 3 – 2

Our Prediction: LA Thieves win

The LA Thieves have had a fantastic season so far, sitting comfortably at or near the top of the table since play first opened up. They’ve been flawless thus far, and they pushed that notion further with a dominant victory of Seattle Surge, who picked up their second loss of the week.

Admittedly, it was a very close start, with both teams exhibiting balanced gameplay on a round of Hardpoint on Checkmate. There were countless kills being traded, and almost every player had notched up more than thirty kills by close of play. However, LA Thieves secured a 250 – 231 victory, with Temp (LAT) potentially being marked as MVP in this one.

Next, we moved off to a Search and Destroy on Raid, with both teams baying for blood. The Thieves were putting out some fantastic bait-n-switch maneuvers, and TJHaly was playing smoothly, picking up a high KD as early as the fourth round. Although, Octane and Prestinni hit some clean plays, pushing LAT back a notch and grabbing a 6 – 4 victory.

On the third map, we saw the teams face-off in a round of Control on Raid, and Surge showed dominance right off the bat. This round pushed to a 2 – 2 match-point showdown, but LAT was able to secure huge wins and drain Seattle’s respawn tickets to get the win, 3 – 2.

This series ended with a back-to-back Moscow bonanza, first a Hardpoint, then a Search and Destroy. Seattle played seriously well and secured the Hardpoint victory, but the Thieves devasted Surge with a massive 6 – 0 Search win. The top spot easily went to TJHaly of Thieves, who pulled an unbelievable 12 – 0 scoreline out of the bag.

Match 3: Toronto Ultra vs. OpTic Chicago

Result: OpTic Chicago win 3 – 1

Our Prediction: OpTic Chicago win

Everyone was waiting for OpTic’s first appearance in the CDL Super Week, and it was an impressive one right off the bat.

In a high-octane round of Hardpoint on Checkmate, Ultra found it near-impossible to get OpTic off the hill, and the Chicago side had secured 200 points by the time Ultra had just 7. It was a super-quick round, with OpTic ending the play on 250 – 68.

Following that crushing defeat, the teams switched up to a round of Search and Destroy and Raid, which was much more of a balanced face-off. It was a classic leapfrog match, with some big 1 v 1 gunfights going down to end each round. Ultimately, Toronto was the better side, fortunately for them, and they beat OpTic 6 – 4.

We stayed on Raid for the next round, which was a Control, and although Ultra laid out a fine defence, it wasn’t enough to overcome an aggressive OpTic side. We saw some incredible scenes from Methodz and Scump, who both had consistently high KDs as a result of their slaying tactics. This was yet another round for OpTic, though, and they picked up the 3 – 1 win.

Finally, a third round on Raid came about, and fans were treated to a tense Hardpoint to end the series. Ultra were permitted the opportunity to redeem themselves, and they sure as hell gave it their best shot. Unfortunately, although it was neck and neck throughout, OpTic’s final hold was too strong and they claimed the lasting victory, 250 – 218.

DAY FOUR

Match 1: New York Subliners vs. Minnesota Rokkr

Result: New York Subliners win 3 – 0

Our Prediction: Minnesota Rokkr win

If there was an award for the biggest upset of this week, it would go to this face-off.

Minnesota Rokkr picked up its second 0 – 3 game of the week, only this time, it was on the losing side. After a dramatically overwhelming show against Seattle Surge, the Minnesota side fell far short of victory against the New York Subliners.

Firstly, we opened with a round of Hardpoint on Raid, and the Subliners were instantly storming to victory, with Asim popping off and effortlessly slaying the Rokkr side. By the end of the game, he’d secured a fantastic KD of 22 – 5, and NY had won 250 – 82, a brilliant result for the underdog side.

Next, we witnessed an incredible round of Search and Destroy on Moscow, where the Subliners absolutely refused to relent, dominating Rokkr at every single turn. Once again, Asim was pushing for MVP, and he ended this game on 9 – 1, with the Subliners scoring a 6 – 0 whitewash over the Rokkr.

It all came down to a Control on Raid, and although Minnesota Rokkr gave it a fair crack, they just could not beat NY to the punch. They were 2 – 0 down before they managed to pull it back a little way, but a devastating attack from NY Subliners in the final round secured another loss for Rokkr, 3 – 2.

This was the second 3 – 0 victory for the NY Subliners, who showed they’re now a force to be reckoned with.

Match 2: Los Angeles Guerrillas vs. OpTic Chicago

Result: OpTic Chicago win 3 – 1

Our Prediction: OpTic Chicago win

This was a relatively balanced match-up that could have gone either way, but the prestigious might of OpTic was enough to overcome a progressive LAG side.

We started with a leapfrog Hardpoint match on Garrison, with both teams jumping over one another to climb that scoreboard ever-higher. Papa Apathy was leading the charge for LAG, slaying with his AK74u and causing some big issues for OpTic. Ultimately, he secured a massive 2:24 of hill time, with Scump and FormaL lacking heavily for the OpTic side. The final score was a close-fought 250 – 234 for LAG.

It was a Search and Destroy on Moscow next, and OpTic decided to pick up a little of the slack they’d let out in the first round. The Chicago side pushed to a 5 – 2 lead before LAG picked up another round, but it just wasn’t enough at that stage, with OpTic picking up the 6 – 3 victory on this game. The dominance continued into the third map, a Control on Raid, with OpTic grabbing a dramatic 3 – 1 victory, pushing for the win on kills.

Finally, it wrapped up with a Hardpoint on Moscow, with OpTic opting to secure the hill rather than picking up the big kill feeds. It came down to a late victory, with OpTic needing just three points to secure the final hill, which they do, bringing it to a 250 – 191 victory.

Match 3: Florida Mutineers vs. Atlanta FaZe

Result: Atlanta FaZe 3 – 1

Our Prediction: Atlanta FaZe win

Up until this point, it was a relatively balanced week for Florida, which had picked up both a win and a loss in the Super Week thus far. However, a dominant FaZe tipped the balance, offering up a decisive and crushing loss to the Mutineers with relative ease.

Although Florida opened up strong and secured a massive win on a Hardpoint on Garrison, it wasn’t enough to discourage top-table team FaZe from picking up more points. The opening round was a tough one for FaZe, who seemed to have frantic and disparate comms, with top AR players like Arcitys dropping to a devastating 15 – 28 KD. Owakening stormed ahead for Florida, grabbing a tasty top score of 33 – 22.

Next, we moved up to a Search and Destroy on Moscow, and FaZe found their feet, pushing the scoreline to 5 – 0 before Florida could retaliate and grab a single point. AbeZy slayed in the fifth round, picking up a devastating triple kill to further discourage the Florida side. By the close of play, FaZe had secured a massive 6 – 1 win. It wasn’t over yet though, as we transitioned into a tough round of Control on Garrison.

Florida looked to be in sight of winning this face-off, as they pushed up to a 2 – 1 scoreline, but FaZe clutched it back, pushing the map to a round five showdown. Arcitys is unfortunately still lacking, but the remainder of the team picks up the slack to net a 3 -2 win.

Finally, we turn to a Hardpoint on Moscow, a real League favourite, and the performance is remarkably similar to the first round of this series. The final scoreline ends up at 250 – 190, with FaZe standing victorious once again.

DAY FIVE

Match 1: London Royal Ravens vs. LA Thieves

Result: LA Thieves win 3 – 1

Our Prediction: LA Thieves win

Poor, poor Ravens – they’ve now lost two matches this week, and as they move into their third, this time against top-table side LA Thieves, things aren’t looking any brighter.

The match opens up with a Hardpoint on Moscow, and the Royal Ravens are being broken by the Thieves far too easily, falling off the hills with almost no challenge. It’s a top-table versus bottom-table showdown, and it seems like the path has already been scoped for these two teams. Temp is picking up triple kills and feeds with ease, ending the game on a 26 – 14 scoreline, and the first victory is secured by Thieves.

On the second map, a Search and Destroy on Garrison, the Ravens start to show a little more defiance, pushing it along a neck and neck scoreline right to the end. They’re giving the Thieves a much harder time, trading long shots and playing much more aggressively. However, it isn’t enough, and Thieves pick up another win, this time a 6 – 4 victory.

We’re back to Garrison for the third map, this time a Control, and the Ravens are starting to sound frantic and disorganised on comms. Despite that fact, they do play remarkably well, with Alexx and Dylan providing great SMG cover across the board. They hold brilliant defensive lines against the Thieves and pick up a 3 – 1 win over the LA side.

Unfortunately, the Thieves proved themselves to be the stronger side here, and they run rings around the Ravens with a Hardpoint on Garrison, the hated map making a third appearance in this series. SlasheR and Seany are both landing big feeds, and it all comes down to a dramatic ending, with London taking the hill while Thieves sit on a dangerous 249-score. However, the Thieves break the Ravens, and they pick up the final victory, 250 – 192.

Match 2: Paris Legion vs. Toronto Ultra

Result: Paris Legion win 3 – 2

Our Prediction: Toronto Ultra win

This has been a devastating week for Toronto, which has already picked up two devastating losses at the hands of its competitors. That trend continues with a surprising victory by Paris Legion, who push Toronto back against the wall with a tense, five-map face-off. It’s the second massive victory for Paris Legion this week, who had already beaten Florida 3 – 0.

We opened the competition with a Hardpoint on Raid, a popular map and mode, with both teams going in with a relatively fresh mindset. It’s a fairly balanced match, and it ultimately comes down to the wire and the final hill, which Legion holds to secure an early win, 250 – 225. Next, we move over to a Search and Destroy on Moscow, with Ultra firing back non-stop against Legion, offering up intense dominance over the French side.

Legion just cannot counter Ultra’s aggressive style, and in the play of the entire Super Week, Methodz (TOR) lands a 4 v 1 defuse, decimating the Paris side. It’s a 6 – 0 win for that round, and we move off to a round of Control on Raid. Once again, Ultra dominate, whitewashing Legion with an incredible 3 – 0 victory, exhibiting some flawless play and expert-level communications. The play flips once again to a Hardpoint on Garrison, and if there’s one thing Legion has been good at this week, it’s Hardpoint matches.

That fact appears to be true, as Legion pick up a 250 – 211 win on a close-fought map. It all goes down to a map-five showdown, and it’ll be a Search and Destroy on Miami. Ultra attempt to dominate once again but they’re lacking somewhat this time around, and Legion pushes to 3 – 0 before Ultra can gain a single point. Ultimately, it comes down to a 6 -3 victory for Paris, despite Fire missing shots that he really shouldn’t be failing to hit.

Match 3: New York Subliners vs. Dallas Empire

Result: Dallas Empire win 3 – 2

Our Prediction: New York Subliners win

Our prediction came remarkably close to working out, especially considering how incredible the Subliners have been throughout this Super Week. This dramatic face-off went to a five-map showdown, with both teams picking up huge feeds, remarkable rotations, and seriously clean comms.

Dallas had already beaten New York once this season when play kicked off, a fact that the Subliners clearly remembered as they set to dominate Dallas from the get-go. It all started with a Hardpoint on Checkmate, and New York effortlessly pushed the hill every time. Once again, Asim was slaying with his XM4, netting a massive 30 – 24 KD and putting every member of Dallas into a negative KD. The round ended with a huge 250 – 138 victory for the Subliners.

Next up was a Search and Destroy on Checkmate, and the New York Subliners continued to create huge concerns for a flailing Dallas side. Shotzzy and iLLeY are failing miserably while Clayster sprints around the map on top form, laying out Dallas every time he finds them. This is another victory for New York, ending the round with a huge 6 – 3 scoreline. It isn’t over yet though, as we switch over to a Control on Raid, with Dallas desperate to claim a point.

They play super-aggressive, pushing it to a 2 – 2 match-point showdown, iLLeY actively redeeming himself with some clutch pushes against the objectives. Clayster lands some huge wins, picking up a final KD of 43 – 32, making a statement against the Dallas side that dropped him at the end of last year, after he took them to the world championship. This round ultimately ends up reading 3 – 2 for Dallas, grabbing that saviour score.

In the fourth round, C6 finally lives up to his legacy, slaying in the AR role and fighting to desperately hold back a sharpened NYSL side. This one ends 250 – 171 for Dallas, but it isn’t the end, as a fifth map will need to be played to decide the winner. It all comes down to a Search and Destroy on Miami, and it’s a balanced start to open up the play. However, Huke storms into the MVP spot for Dallas, picking up a huge 12 – 5 with his AK74u, dominating the game, and winning it 6 – 3 for Dallas.

DAY SIX

Match 1: Paris Legion vs. Atlanta FaZe

Result: Atlanta FaZe win 3 – 2

Our Prediction: Atlanta FaZe win

Legion – you’ve got this far, but can you topple the top-table team of FaZe? Unfortunately, that’s going to be a decisive ‘no’. However, while Legion couldn’t pull the win in this face-off, they certainly gave Atlanta FaZe a real run for their money.

The first match was an extremely tense and dramatic Hardpoint on Checkmate, with Legion throwing down some early-round dominance against FaZe. Although FaZe, particularly AbeZy, is slaying, it isn’t enough to hold back Legion, who holds the final hill with FaZe needing just one point to win. It’s as close as close can be, with Legion picking up a 250 – 249 win. Next, the play transitions to a Search and Destroy on Checkmate, and it goes out to the eleventh round, a classic leapfrog match that sees both teams slowing down their style of play.

It all comes down to a final defence for FaZe, with Cellium hitting a gorgeous two-piece before getting traded out – FaZe wins this one 6 – 5. Then, we’re sent over to Garrison for a round of Control, and Legion storm ahead right off the mark. They secure a victory in both an offence and a defence before FaZe can retaliate, Paris quite literally harassing FaZe to no end, pushing Simp down to a 12 – 26 KD. The Paris side grabs another win, making it 3 – 1 against the top-table team.

It’s a Hardpoint next, this time on Raid, which Legion has seen great success with this week so far. It’s a mostly neck-and-neck match-up, but Legion starts tiring towards the end, opening up the door for FaZe to pile through and apply some real map pressure. Simp quite literally flies around the map toward the end, landing a 32 – 13 KD and pushing FaZe to a 250 – 218 win. Finally, we’re on Raid again, but it’s a Search and Destroy to determine the end result of this series.

Match 2: London Royal Ravens vs. Minnesota Rokkr

Result: Minnesota Rokkr win 3 – 0

Our Prediction: Minnesota Rokkr win

Oh no, London! What happened to you this week? This is the second 3 – 0 loss for the Royal Ravens this week, and it also marks the London side’s fifth loss this season – they’re yet to win a single match.

Of course, Rokkr entered this match-up reeling from a huge loss against Paris Legion, but they were determined to get a win over the only other EU team in the competition. They push into the first match, a Hardpoint on Raid, without any real issues, enjoying a dominant streak against a lacking Ravens side. Rokkr ultimately pulls the first victory with a 250 – 157 scoreline, with no issues whatsoever.

Next, we’re moving off to Moscow, with both teams participating in a tense Search and Destroy rotation. Admittedly, the Royal Ravens play much better this time around, pushing it to 4 – 3 and dominating Rokkr – Alexx and Seany are playing exceptionally well in this match. There are clean four-man pushes from either side, but the Ravens royally drop the ball in the final round, totally stuffing a two-man defuse push and giving the win to Rokkr, 6 – 4.

Finally, it falls on a round of Control on Raid to decide this series, and once again, the Ravens are desperate to regain some lost ground. They push this match to a 2 – 2 match-point showdown, but Rokkr is just too resilient. Accuracy (MIN) is competing for MVP in this match-up, striking the Ravens off the map whenever he comes across them, and he carries the team to a 3 -2 victory over the London side.

Match 3: Toronto Ultra vs. Los Angeles Guerrillas

Result: Los Angeles Guerrillas win 3 – 2

Our Prediction: Los Angeles Guerrillas win

This was a desperately-needed round for Toronto Ultra, who were yet to receive a single win throughout the entire Super Week. However, it was a similar story for LAG, who also had gone the entire week without a win – but Ultra had the edge, being 0 – 3 for the Super thus far.

We started this dramatic face-off with a Hardpoint on Crossroads, a rarely-seen map, and LAG pushed for immediate domination. The Guerrillas were making seriously clean pushes, with lots of tangible teamwork being evident, while Ultra was forgetting the basics – they weren’t even tossing trophy systems down on the hills. It was an extremely close finish though, with LAG picking up a 250 – 242 victory.

Next, we rolled off to a Search and Destroy on Moscow, and once again, it was up to the Guerrillas to rule the roost. They were cutting down Ultra with apparent ease, landing five rounds before Toronto could even grab a single point. The final round was a defensive one for LAG, and they kicked down a four-man push from Ultra, slaying them in less than twenty seconds. The final result was a 6 – 1 win for LAG.

Although, Ultra was seriously hungry for a win, and they knew it was now or never – a mindset they carried into the next two matches, a Control on Raid, and a Hardpoint on Garrison. They proceeded to devastate the Guerrillas with effective pushes, strong holds, and some extremely beneficial spawn anchors, grabbing a 3 – 1 win on the Control, and a 250 – 199 victory on the Hardpoint.

Finally, it all boiled down to a round of Search and Destroy on Raid. Unfortunately for Ultra, this match would directly mimic the first Search and Destroy, with the Los Angeles Guerrillas netting a 6 – 1 victory and walking away with the first win of the week for either team in this series.

DAY SEVEN

Match 1: Seattle Surge vs. New York Subliners

Result: New York Subliners win 3 – 1

Our Prediction: Seattle Surge win

I don’t think anybody could have accurately predicted this overwhelmingly positive performance from the Subliners this week, who has climbed the table based on three massive wins this week. Although the Subliners lost a match to top-table side Dallas Empire, they’ve been so strong as a team, constantly slaying and dominating the competition.

Our first match was a Hardpoint on Raid, and although it started off fairly balanced, Surge quickly moved to dominate as the match wrapped up, bringing the end score to 250 – 205. Subliner’s comms were clean and the trade-offs were constant, with Mack picking up plenty of kills. Near the end of the match, though, Gunless picks up full streaks and clears the Basketball objective with a clean three-piece, pushing it to 250.

Next, we rolled over into a Search and Destroy on Miami, with both teams looking impressive and capable. It’s a traditional leapfrog match, with both teams jumping up the scoreboard step by step. Loony (SEA) picks up a fantastic A side defensive push, driving the Subliners back down into the spawn – it was remarkable. However, once Seattle gets its third round down, it can’t pull anything else out and loses 6 – 3 to the Subliners.

We bounced back to Raid for a Control, and the Subliners flexed their seemingly new-found ability to fully and comprehensively dominate Seattle Surge at the 1 – 1 point. The Subliners hold off an easy defence, push a clean attack, and then wrap it up with another flawless defence, making it 3 – 0. Finally, it all came down to a Hardpoint on Moscow, and although the play balanced out considerably, Subliners still picked up a close win, 250 – 226.

Match 2: Florida Mutineers vs. OpTic Chicago

Result: OpTic Chicago win 3 – 1

Our Prediction: OpTic Chicago win

The second to last match of the Super Week started off with a little instability, as the opening Hardpoint on Garrison fell into a game crash while Florida Mutineers was up by ten points. It was the first time the CDL has seen this issue since kick-off, and it seemed to be Scump who experienced the issue. Thankfully, Florida was able to regain its lead and pulled out a 250 – 229 score to open the series.

Following that unexpected issue, we moved to a Search and Destroy on Checkmate, and both teams were playing to the full extent of their ability. Once again, we saw a leapfrog match-up, with both teams playing deliberately and cautiously, particularly with slow pushes and tactical defences. It came down to the eleventh round, and Florida was looking for a moment to be the stronger team – Owakening was sitting pretty on a massive 14 – 7 KD and it was match point.

However, OpTic was just too strong, and they held off that final defence with ease, 6 – 5 to OpTic. After that wrapped up, we moved over to a Control on Checkmate, with both teams praying the game wouldn’t crash again. It mimicked the SnD, with both teams leapfrogging over each other on the scoreboard. The Mutineers went 2 – 1 up OpTic played a couple of super-clean rounds to land the 3 – 2 takeover.

Finally, the series rolled around into another Hardpoint, once again on Checkmate, a triple-map trend that has come up a few times over the course of the week. This time, OpTic dominated, with Scump and FormaL exhibiting some flawless plays to push the game to a win, 250 – 178.

Match 3: LA Thieves vs. Dallas Empire

Result: Dallas Empire win 3 – 0

Our Prediction: Dallas Empire Win

And it all comes down to this! The huge finale for the Super Week, the reigning champions versus the would-be victors for the Call of Duty League 2021 season, LA Thieves. However, I don’t think anybody expected Dallas to fully dominate the unbeaten Thieves quite as intensely as they did.

The series opened with a Hardpoint on Raid, and Dallas picked up an incredible lead very early on, picking up 124 points before the LA Thieves could really retaliate. We were treated to an Astro listen-in from Dallas Empire, who was playing extremely well together, encouraging each other and laying out some seriously clean comms. Although Kenny (LAT) was winning some huge gunfights and pushing Empire off mid a fair few times, it wasn’t enough to hold back the Empire, who stormed forward to an early 250 – 212 win.

Then, we transitioned out to a Search and Destroy rotation on Checkmate, with both teams hyped up and raring to go – it all comes down to the final match of Super Week. In this round, we saw some insanely balanced gameplay, and again we were treated to an intense match-up. In the second round, TJHaly picked up an insane 1 v 3, and it seemed like LA Thieves were going to hold the round for a while, as Dallas fell to a 0 – 3 deficit. However, the Empire team play mechanism kicked in, and the Dallas side grabbed four wins back-to-back. It all came down to the eleventh round, and Dallas won the final defence, with Ian ‘Crimsix’ Porter picking up a nasty 1 v 2 defuse.

It was everything to play for as both teams entered the final round, a Control on Raid – and again, nobody predicted Dallas to be as dominating as they were. The LA Thieves grabbed the first round, a defence, but Dallas refused to drop any more points, going on a spree and landing three rounds back-to-back. Huke and Shotzzy were playing extremely well, pushing the LAT side off the objective every single time they pushed. It ended 3 – 1 to Dallas, and they had finally knocked Thieves into their first loss of the season.

Incredible.

 

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