The Los Angeles Gladiators and Dallas Fuel posted 3-0 wins on Friday to improve to 3-0 in West region qualifying matches for the Overwatch League’s Countdown Cup.
In reality, the results mean little as both the Gladiators and Fuel have already clinched playoff spots, but both teams maintained their momentum heading toward the postseason.
Los Angeles shut out the London Spitfire, while Dallas cruised past the Vancouver Titans. In the day’s other West region match, the Toronto Defiant defeated the San Francisco Shock 3-1.
The six teams in the West Region that finish the regular season with the most league points will qualify for the playoffs, while the top three finishers in the East Region 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.
On Friday, the Gladiators downed the Spitfire 2-1 on Oasis, 3-2 on King’s Row and 3-2 on Circuit Royal.
The Fuel got past the Titans 2-0 on Ilios, 2-1 on King’s Row and 3-2 on Junkertown.
The Defiant took control by claiming Busan-UAT 2-0 and Paraiso 3-1. The Shock extended the match with a 2-1 decision on Junkertown before Toronto sealed the series with a 1-0 win on New Queen Street.
Three West matches are scheduled for Saturday:
–Dallas Fuel vs. London Spitfire
–Washington Justice vs. New York Excelsior
–San Francisco Shock vs. Atlanta Reign
Overwatch League — Countdown Cup standings, with points, match record and map differential (*clinched playoff berth)
West
T1. *Los Angeles Gladiators, 3 points, 3-0, +8
T1. *Dallas Fuel, 3 points, 3-0, +8
T3. Boston Uprising, 2 points, 2-0, +5
T3. Atlanta Reign, 2 points, 2-0, +4
5. London Spitfire, 2 points, 2-1, +1
T6. Houston Outlaws, 1 point, 1-1, 0
T6. Toronto Defiant, 1 point, 1-2, 0
8. Washington Justice, 1 point, 1-1, -1
9. New York Excelsior, 1 point, 1-1, -2
T10. Paris Eternal, 0 points, 0-2, -5
T10. Florida Mayhem, 0 points, 0-2, -5
T10. *San Francisco Shock, 0 points, 0-3, -5
13. Vancouver Titans, 0 points, 0-3, -8
East
1. *Seoul Dynasty, 3 points, 3-0, +8
2. Philadelphia Fusion, 2 points, 2-1, +3
3. Chengdu Hunters, 2 points, 2-1, +1
4. Guangzhou Charge, 1 point, 1-1, 0
5. Los Angeles Valiant, 1 point, 1-1, -2
6. Hangzhou Spark, 0 points, 0-2, -4
7. *Shanghai Dragons, 0 points, 0-3, -6
–Field Level Media