Renegades defeat Paradox to claim Bucharest qualifier spot: PGL Major Antwerp — OCE Open Qualifiers

After two gruelling match days, it is Renegades who emerge victorious, claiming the Oceanic representative spot at the PGL Antwerp Major Asia RMR with a 2-0 victory over Paradox.

They’ll still need to win the PGL Asia RMR event to qualify to the Contender’s Stage, but RNG have given themselves the best chance possible after surviving the best-of-one open qualifiers.

Joshua “INS” Potter was the event standout, posting a 1.56 rating over 5 maps, with teammate Simon “Sico” Williams a stone’s throw back at 1.42.

Michael “chelleos” Hawkins (7 maps, 1.38 rating, +33 K/Diff) kept Paradox in the hunt, with the team upsetting Order 19-17 in the consolidation final.

But RNG prevailed, taking out the qualifier 2-0 (16-13, 16-6) to join Tyloo, Lynn Vision and Checkmate at April’s RMR event in Bucharest, Romania.

From there, the winning team will qualify for the big show in Belgium — the PGL Antwerp Major Contender’s Stage, starting early May.

PGL Antwerp APAC RMR — OCE Open Qualifier Schedule & Results

Teams were seeded into a single-elimination best-of-one bracket until eight teams remained.

The final eight played out a double-elimination best-of-one bracket, with the best-of-three grand final winning team progressing to the APAC RMR event in PGL’s Bucharest studio later in April.

Sunday, March 6 — The Final 8

Saturday, March 5 — Round of 32/16

OCE Open Qualifier — Day 1 Recap (March 5)

Results were as expected for day one of the PGL Antwerp APAC RMR OCE Open Qualifiers, with the top four favourites through to day two with ease.

Favourites Renegades swept past CS BeastMasters and 1stroundexit without dropping a single round, and will face FREE THE MANDEM in the quarter-final best-of-one tomorrow.

Order, Paradox and Vertex also recorded solid wins on the way to day two.

Rounding out the final eight was Overt, KINGSMEN and DGG Esports.

OCE Open Qualifier — Event Preview (March 4)

The open qualifier will see teams of all skill levels enter the single-elimination best-of-one bracket — and there won’t be any second chances.

The top eight to emerge from the gruelling Bo1’s will then enter the double-elimination final playoffs. For the team that emerges; a single spot at the PGL Antwerp APAC Regional Major Tournament (RMR), joining Tyloo, Lynn Vision and Checkmate.

It’s a long, tough road for our representatives to qualify for the Antwerp Major — and one already wrought with controversy.

PGL and Valve have opted to return to regional RMR’s (Europe, the Americas and Asia-Pacific), not dissimilar to the Regional Minors of old.

However, with APAC’s reach from the Middle East to Oceania and South Asia and everything between, and with only four teams permitted to compete at the APAC RMR, many pundits believe top squads from each sub-region will miss out given how competitive APAC is as a whole.

For Oceania, arguable favourites LookingForOrg had their hopes dashed already.

Unable to return to Australia due to their upcoming appearance at ESL Pro League this week, LFO opted to enter the Middle East Open Qualifier, going down to Chinese squad Lynn Vision in the lower bracket.

With many question marks over the composition of OCE’s top five heading into the event, and with only one spot up for grabs, expect some cutthroat Counter-Strike as the likes of Renegades, Vertex, Paradox and plenty more battle for the sub-region’s sole RMR slot.

PGL Antwerp APAC RMR — OCE Open Qualifier Rosters

The final eight teams’ rosters will be listed here following the conclusion of day one.