The Seoul Dynasty suffered their first loss in East region qualifying matches for the Overwatch League’s Countdown Cup, falling 3-2 to the previously winless Hangzhou Spark on Friday.
The Spark opened with 2-1 wins on Oasis and Eichenwalde before the Dynasty forced a fifth game with victories on Circuit Royal (3-1) and Colosseo (1-0). Hangzhou’s 2-0 win on Nepal completed the upset.
In Friday’s other East region match, the Guangzhou Charge jumped into second place with a 3-1 victory against the Los Angeles Valiant.
The Valiant opened with a 2-1 win on Ilios, but the Charge answered with wins on Paraiso (2-1), Junkertown (3-2) and Colosseo (1-0).
The three teams in the East that finish the regular season with the most league points will qualify for the playoffs, while the top six finishers in the West will do the same.
The other berths in each playoff bracket will be determined through the play-ins taking place Oct. 14-15 in the East and Oct. 21-22 in the West as part of the Countdown Cup. Seeding for the Countdown Cup is based on results in the ongoing qualifying matches.
Two West playoff bids will be awarded via the Countdown Cup, while one East playoff bid will be at stake.
The double-elimination playoffs begin Oct. 30. The playoff bracket will culminate in the first in-person Grand Finals in three years at the Anaheim (Calif.) Convention Center on Nov. 4. The grand prize is $1 million, while the runner-up team will earn $500,000.
Action continues Friday with three matches in the West region:
–Houston Outlaws vs. Paris Eternal
–Boston Uprising vs. Washington Justice
–Vancouver Titans vs. Florida Mayhem
Overwatch League — Countdown Cup standings, with points, match record and map differential (*clinched playoff berth)
West
1. *Dallas Fuel, 4 points, 4-0, +11
2. *Los Angeles Gladiators, 4 points, 4-0, +9
3. Atlanta Reign, 3 points, 3-1, +6
4. Boston Uprising, 2 points, 2-0, +5
T5. London Spitfire, 2 points, 2-2, -2
T5. Washington Justice, 2 points, 2-2, -2
7. Houston Outlaws, 1 point, 1-1, 0
8. Toronto Defiant, 1 point, 1-3, -2
9. *San Francisco Shock, 1 point, 1-3, -4
10. New York Excelsior, 1 point, 1-3, -5
11. Vancouver Titans, 1 point, 1-3, -6
T12. Paris Eternal, 0 points, 0-2, -5
T12. Florida Mayhem, 0 points, 0-2, -5
East
1. *Seoul Dynasty, 4 points, 4-1, +10
2. Guangzhou Charge, 3 points, 3-2, 0
3. Los Angeles Valiant, 3 points, 3-2, -2
4. Philadelphia Fusion, 2 points, 2-2, +2
5. Chengdu Hunters, 2 points, 2-2, 0
T6. *Shanghai Dragons, 1 point, 1-3, -5
T6. Hangzhou Spark, 1 point, 1-4, -5
–Field Level Media