The ESL One Rio open qualifiers are coming to an end all over the various regions. It’s time to take a look at Asia and see who made it to the next stage.
ESL One Rio Oceania, Middle East open qualifiers
It was heartbreak for Paradox Gaming in the Oceania region as they reached and lost the Bo3 deciders in both open qualifiers, first to Ground Zero Gaming, then to Team Skyfire. The other two teams to make it through are catman and madlikewizards.
Israel dominated the first open qualifier in the Middle East. Aequus Club and Team Finest were very convincing in the final few matches and could pose a low-key threat in the Middle East closed qualifier. The thematically named Camel Riders emerged from qualifier No. 2. ATM’s South African roster made sure their continent is represented in the closed qualifiers by also advancing.
ESL One Rio China, East Asia, Southeast Asia open qualifiers
Invictus Gaming firmly followed Paradox’ lead and even managed to do one better. Not only did they lose a couple of Bo3s, but they did so on a deciding map both times. OneThree.TSG and JiJieHao celebrated instead, with EHOME and, wait for it, Wubbalubbadubdub joining them in the closed qualifier.
We must have a loser outstanding in these open qualifiers it seems and it was no different in East Asia. This time it was Japanese side Updraft that did the double-loss combo, falling to D13 in the first qualifier and to Aim4R Gaming in the second. Made in Mongolia, the Asian version of mibr, maybe, also qualified while Ignis guaranteed Japanese presence in the closed qualifier by beating Aim4R Gaming in the first qualifier.
C-c-combo breaker. Southeast Asia decided to spoil the party and present us with a variety of losers. The international rosters of Blank and Paper Rex rose above the one-nation squads of DivisionX Gaming and Astro.esports in the first open qualifier. Team Maple and Huat Zai evened the score in the second one. Hailing from Thailand and Singapore respectively, they got into the closed qualifier over ClownS and SGINDOMIX.
The ESL One Rio Asia closed qualifiers
Here is the full schedule of the ESL One Rio Asia open qualifiers:
- Oceania – March 7-8; top two teams advance to Asia Minor
- Middle East – March 5-7; top team advances to Asia Minor
- China – March 7-8; top two teams advance to Asia Minor
- East Asia – March 4-6; top two teams advance to Asia Minor
- Southeast Asia – March 7-8; top team advances to Asia Minor
