Paris Legion, Los Angeles Thieves snag first wins of 2021 Call of Duty League Stage 2

The Paris Legion and Los Angeles Thieves got off to a 1-0 start in the second stage of the 2021 Call of Duty League season today.

Both teams fell short of expectations in the first CDL Major a few weeks ago, but neither let the losses linger. For the Thieves, they had to overcome a new-look Toronto Ultra squad, while the Legion swept the Minnesota RØKKR.

LAT faced the Ultra in their first match with Insight, who replaced Methodz in the starting lineup. Toronto won both Raid Search and Destroy and Checkmate Hardpoint to force a fifth game in the series, and although Insight played finished with 18 kills in game five, making it one of the highest Search and Destroy kill amounts in CDL history, the Ultra fell 6-5.

Unlike the Thieves, Paris had relatively little issue defeating Minnesota in their opening match of the second stage. The RØKKR’s Hardpoint struggles continued in the series, as they lost Raid Hardpoint to kick the series off 250-216.

Uncharacteristically, Minnesota lost the subsequent Search and Destroy, a game mode in which they excelled in Stage One. After falling down 0-2, the RØKKR were punished by Paris on Raid Control to finish the series.

Although they both began this stage with a loss, Minnesota and Toronto can bounce back later in the weekend. The RØKKR play the Florida Mutineers, who also lost their first match, tomorrow at 3:30pm CT, and the Ultra have the unenviable task of facing the undefeated Atlanta FaZe on March 21 at 3:30pm CT.