Amkal Esports Advance to Play-In at Majestic LanDaLan #3 Closed Qualifier After Beating RUBY 2–1

Amkal Esports Advance to Play-In at Majestic LanDaLan #3 Closed Qualifier After Beating RUBY 2–1

Amkal Esports secured their spot in the Play-In stage of the Majestic LanDaLan #3 Closed Qualifier, defeating RUBY 2–1 in Round 4. The series saw Amkal drop Ancient 7–13, bounce back emphatically on Train 13–7, then close the decider on Dust2 with a narrow 13–11 win. With this victory, Amkal progresses to the Play-In stage—vying for a place in the main event LAN in late September. RUBY, now sitting at a 2–2 record, must play in the fifth and final qualifier round, while Khan and ARCRED were eliminated after 1–3 showings. 

---

Match Breakdown & Key Performers

• Ancient (7–13): RUBY leveraged a strong early rhythm to take the first map handily.

• Train (13–7): Amkal retaliated with a dominant T-side, leveling the series.

• Dust2 (13–11): A tightly contested decider edged out by Amkal’s clutch mid-round plays and consistent entry frags.

HLTV’s stats confirm the veto order:

• Amkal removed Nuke, then picked Ancient.

• RUBY removed Inferno, then picked Train.

• Amkal removed Mirage; RUBY removed Overpass; Dust2 was the decider.

---

Tournament Format & Stakes

The Majestic LanDaLan #3 Closed Qualifier, held online from Aug 20 to Sept 1, features a Swiss-style group stage where teams need a 3–1 or 3–2 record to advance to the Play-In, or 3–0 to qualify directly for the main event LAN. The Play-In is a single-elimination bracket (BO3) that fills the remaining slots for the main LAN, scheduled in Moscow on Sep 25–28. 

Amkal’s win over RUBY places them in the Play-In pool, keeping their path to Moscow live and meaningful.

---

Strategic and Ranking Context

• Amkal carves a comeback narrative: after a shaky start, winning the Train map strongly suggests adaptability under pressure—an asset in Swiss formats where bracket survival is key.

• RUBY's 2–2 standing means they now face one more match to confirm Play-In qualification, underlining the tournament’s brutal ladder for CIS teams.

• Amkal ranks #56 on eGamersWorld, with a recent win rate near 45–60% depending on the timeframe, reflecting a mid-tier team's performance curve.

---

Summary Table

Feature	Detail
Match Result	Amkal 2–1 RUBY (Ancient 7–13, Train 13–7, Dust2 13–11)
Advancement	Amkal advances to Play-In; RUBY must win decisive match; others eliminated
Format Details	Swiss Round 4 stage; Play-In to fill LAN roster; main event Sep 25–28
Venue	Moscow LAN; Online qualifier from Aug 20–Sep 1
Map Strategy	Amkal’s BO1 frag adaptability and comeback noted
Team Standing	Amkal ranked ~#56; improving trajectory as they live in bracket