The Minnesota RØKKR currently hold the final playoff spot in the Call of Duty League, but after losing a pivotal match this weekend, Minnesota opted today to insert fan-favorite Attach back into the starting lineup.
The RØKKR announced today that Attach will replace Afro in the team’s roster starting with the final week of the Major Five qualifiers. The news comes after dropping a match to the Las Vegas Legion on May 14, which cut Minnesota’s lead over Vegas for eighth place to just one match. The RØKKR, who have two more matches to close out the online qualifiers, are 1-2 in this set of qualifying matches, meaning they are in real danger of starting the final Major in the losers bracket.
Major Five not only represents the last stop in the CDL regular season, but it is setting up to be a crucial tournament to decide the eighth and final team to qualify for the CDL playoffs. The RØKKR and Legion could enter the Major tied for eighth if Minnesota fail to win one of their final two qualifiers and Vegas defeat the Seattle Surge this weekend.
Related: Results for 2023 Call of Duty League Major 5 qualifiers
Last season, the RØKKR failed to qualify for the 2022 CDL Championship by just 20 CDL Points, a disappointing result especially considering the team had earned a fourth-place finish at the 2021 event just weeks after a jaw-dropping grand finals comeback to win the season’s final Major.
Minnesota’s decision to bench Attach in March for Challengers player Kevin “Fame” Bonanno has led to middling results. Despite winning their first two matches and five total with Fame, the RØKKR have only beaten one team not in the bottom four in the CDL standings (Seattle), and the one-match advantage over the Legion is especially precarious considering the Legion would claim a playoff spot over Minnesota in the event of a tie.
The RØKKR have two tough opponents to close out the Major Five qualifiers. The first match comes on May 19 against Major Four champions Los Angeles Thieves, who are still searching for their first win since hoisting the trophy in Columbus, before Minnesota closes the online season out on May 21 with a Battle of the North meeting against Major Three champions Toronto Ultra.
