DreamHack has revealed the opening matchups for the 2020 DreamHack Open Anaheim closed qualifiers.
With only three total spots up for grabs, 16 teams will go head-to-head for the chance to compete in California. North, MiBR, ENCE, and FURIA Esports received direct invitations to the event. Another team, Endpoint, earned the chance to compete through an ESL-run regional tournament.
Team Heroic to win the DreamHack Open Anaheim European qualifiers. Heroic will kick off the action with a match against Polish team AVEZ. All matches are played concurrently, starting at 6:00 a.m. EST.
Heroic are the favorites to win the European slot in Anaheim, but the team is by no means unbeatable. The Danish squad lost two best-of-three matches against arguably weaker teams in AGO and MAD Lions during the IEM Katowice 2020 closed qualifiers just nine days ago.
If there was ever a time to back the underdog, this is it. While Heroic adding Casper “cadiaN” Møller boosted the team initially, they have plateaued in recent months and could be vulnerable for an upset here.
The DreamHack Open Anaheim North American closed qualifier matches start at 12:00 p.m. EST on January 19 with two spots up for grabs.Â
Oddsmakers suggest that the North American qualifiers will be significantly more competitive than Europe’s, with Complexity standing as the clearest favorites. The revamped roster has impressed over the past several weeks, but has also hit enough snags to feel a bit wary.Â
On the other side of the bracket, Gen.G will be looking for big things from Hansel “BnTeT” Ferdinand, who will be debuting with the organization after being signed all the way back on December 7. Gen.G will be hoping that BnTeT is the missing piece for the team, as its roster looked underwhelming in the qualifiers to both IEM Katowice 2020 and DreamHack Open Leipzig.
DreamHack Open Anaheim officially starts on February 21 and runs through February 23.
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