MxPL Key Takeaways: Pampas defeats Leviatán to top standings, Six Karma leads in Mexico

After a week full of upsets in both South America and Mexico, it is time to have a look at the competition before heading to the final week. 

Pampas’s perfect week moves the squad to first

In South America, the standings are looking much different to what the majority expected. Last season’s bottom side Leviatán upsetted the two main favorites to dominate the region, as the team’s victories over Furious Gaming and Malvinas Gaming skyrocketed the team to first. 

Despite the roster making a dream start to the competition, Pampas has hijacked Leviatán’s plans as both rosters clashed this week. After a very close match on Oregon, Pampas claimed the three points as former Malvinas Gaming player Tomás “TomHagen” Otañi emerged as the squad’s leader. With this result both Pampas and Leviatán have swapped places, but remain in the league’s top two. 

Furious Gaming and Malvinas Gaming follow them in the standings with ten and nine points each. While Furious Gaming pulled off a 2-0 week, Malvinas Gaming’s slip against Pampas in Thursday’s match has seen the squad fall to fourth. Right now, and considering that Malvinas Gaming and Furious Gaming will play each other on the last day of the stage, everything leads us to think that at least one of them will miss out on the first Copa Elite Six of the year – which would be a disaster for either of the teams. 

Meanwhile, the remaining squads are far away from joining the Copa Elite Six talk. While Maycam Evolve and Nocturns are tied in fifth with five points, Hawks and Newstars are already out of the CES race after losing this week’s matches.

Last week of the South American championship will kick off tomorrow, as we will know which two teams are going to represent the region in the very first CES of the year. Although Pampas and Leviatán are the current favorites, a slip could give Malvinas and Furious Gaming a chance to sneak in the top two for the first time this year.

Six Karma on the verge to secure Copa Elite Six spot

Just like in South America, Mexico has also seen a change of power. Coming to the game after winning the previous four matches, Team Cruelty was the favorite to take three points against Six Karma. However, the opposite result unfolded. With a perfect KOST and 13 kills in 10 rounds, former Atheris Esports player Christopher “SkMzY” Espinosa led his team to the top of the standings. 

The result effectively gives ALPHA Team wings, as the lineup is now just three points away from Team Cruelty. With both squads facing off on the last day of the stage, an ALPHA Team regulation victory could see them breaking in Mexico’s top two.

MET REVEN is still well alive in the Copa Elite Six race as they have to face sixth and seventh placed teams, Fenix Esports and Skull Cracker respectively. OverKnight’s excellent start was spoiled by Team Cruelty and ALPHA Team, leaving the squad four points away from the top two – with just two games to play.

Meanwhile, all Fenix Esports, Skull Cracker, and Kingdom Gaming can no longer qualify for the May Major qualifier, which means that they will compete in this stage’s Supercopa LATAM North.