The Atlanta FaZe start off the Call of Duty League’s final set of qualifying matches with a comeback victory over the Los Angeles Thieves, 3-2. Led by some of the most dominant Search and Destroy performances of the 2022 season, Atlanta overcame a 2-1 deficit to notch their first victory in the season’s fourth stage.
In the series’ two S&D maps, Berlin and Bocage, FaZe didn’t drop a single map, rattling off 12 straight rounds against the Thieves in what proved to be the difference maker in Atlanta’s victory.
The Thieves nearly closed the series out on Tuscan Hardpoint, holding a 185-183 lead late in the game. Unfortunately for Los Angeles, Atlanta went on a massive run to close the map 250-185 to send it to the decisive game five.
Los Angeles were solid in the respawn game modes, winning the series’ first Hardpoint on Gavutu and clutching up in the Round 5 on Tuscan Control. But the double 6-0 losses would be the final nail in the coffin. Atlanta’s superstar SMG player aBeZy posted a 6-2 statline in the series’ decisive game five and posted a 1.08 overall K/D in the series’ five maps.
“The S&Ds were just perfection from us.” aBeZy said of his team’s 3-2 victory.
“I feel like our S&Ds are what pulled us through this one. I think we reverse swept that at major one, but this one was kind of a back and forth thing. If we would have clutched up that control, which we should have, it would have been a 3-1. But I mean, our S&D is looking really good and that’s what helped us pull through.”
Atlanta have consistently been a top-two team throughout the 2022 season but have been unable to claim a championship at any of the season’s first three major tournaments.
While it’s been surprising to see FaZe come in second a year after they claimed three major championships and the CDL Championship, the team has been steadily improving as the 2022 CDL playoffs loom closer.
Cellium continued his MVP-esque season, dropping a 1.44K/D while Simp was in his usual impressive form with a 1.16 series K/D. If Atlanta can continue to play Search and Destroy at that high of a level, it is hard to see any team who is in a better position to win both the season’s fourth major and the CDL Championship.
FaZe will be back in action when they take on Toronto Ultra on Friday, July 1 at 2pm CST. Los Angeles have a date with Paris Legion on Sunday, July 3 at 3:30pm CST.
