The competitive Vanguard season is well underway, much to the excitement of competitive Call of Duty fans. The opening Major of the season saw OpTic Texas take home the title in a return to form for the Green Wall.
With the dust settled and another three weeks of qualification matches in the books, there are plenty of teams gunning to knock down the Green Wall as the Call of Duty League (CDL) heads to Minnesota for the second Major of the year.
As expected, the competition is closer than ever before. With that said, here are our predictions for what promises to be a hugely exciting weekend of CDL action!
When Is CDL Major 2?
The second Major of the Vanguard season takes place from March 31 until April 3. With all 12 teams in action, the tournament promises to be just as exciting as the opening Major that took place in Texas. For more information on the tournament, check out our dedicated hub for everything there is to know.
OpTic Texas To Continue Form
Since winning the first Major, the momentum for OpTic Texas has shown no signs of slowing down during the three weeks of qualification matches. The team only conceded three maps on their way to a flawless record, securing the top seed and a match against the Seattle Surge to kick off their title defence.
The key to success for OpTic Texas will be Brandon 'Dashy' Otell. The player is excelling as the aggressive assault rifle (AR) player for the Green Wall and if he's firing on all cylinders, it will take something special for any team to usurp the Green Wall from the top of the CDL mountain.
Turbulent Times For LA Guerrillas
Just days before the action gets underway, Los Angeles Guerrillas player Pierce 'Gunless' Hillman revealed he will miss the event due to health issues. The temporary leave of absence means substitute Kris 'Spart' Cervantez will take his place on the starting roster.
There's a chance the roster change could inject a new lease of life into the Guerrillas but with only a few days of practice under their belts, defeating Boston Breach in their opening match could prove to be a tricky task. We wish Gunless a speedy recovery!
The Dark Horses
Throughout the second wave of online matches, a number of teams have found form. The likes of Paris Legion, Florida Mutineers, and New York Subliners have the potential to cause an early upset on both sides of the bracket.
Perhaps the biggest change involves the Subliners and the benching of three-time world champion James 'Clayster' Eubanks in favour of Paul 'PaulEhx' Avila, a player that spent a brief period competing for the London Royal Ravens. During his short spell, he made an instant impact with an AR or SMG in hand and could be the missing ingredient for a team that has struggled in the early stages of 2022.
CDL Major 2 Predictions
With the level of competition at an all-time high, it's tricky to tell which teams will end up battling it out for championship glory. Based on recent form, I'm going to attempt to predict the top three teams once the competition has come to an end:
- 1st: OpTic Texas
- 2nd: Atlanta FaZe
- 3rd: London Royal Ravens
It's safe to say OpTic Texas are the best team in the CDL heading into Major 2. With a chance to surpass Atlanta's undefeated streak, I expect the Green Wall to stand strong at the end of the Grand Final. However, it won't be easy going up against an Atlanta FaZe armed with a point to prove after finishing second at Major 1. Can they topple OpTic to reclaim the top spot?
The battle for third place could be a very interesting one. The likes of the London Royal Ravens have battled against the very best but often fall short against OpTic and FaZe. Despite this, I see them managing to take home the final step on the podium but there's a high chance New York Subliners, Toronto Ultra, and the LA Thieves have other ideas.
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