Two OpTic Gaming players test positive for COVID-19 ahead of final week of playoffs
Sending good vibes their way.
OpTic GamingplayersPujan “FNS” MehtaandAustin “crashies” Robertshave tested positive for COVID-19, they confirmed onTwittertoday.
The team is set to play XSET in the upper bracket final of theVCT NA Stage 2 Challengers playoffson June 25. The stakes couldn’t be higher in the upcoming match — the winner will be the first North American team to secure a spot atMasters Copenhagenin July.
This isn’t the first time OpTic have had to play with a player suffering from COVID. At Valorant Champions last year,Victor “Victor” Wongalso came down with acoronavirus infection, and OpTic ended up exiting the tournament early in the group stage.
OpTic Gaming players FNS and crashies are COVID-19positive
On top of that, star playerJaccob “yay” Whiteakertweetedthat he might have caught the coronavirus as well.
“Two of my teammates have COVID confirmed and I might have caught it too,” he said. “Will do our best tomorrow.”
Only four teams remain in the playoffs: OpTic,NRG, XSET, andFaZe Clan. The reigningMasters Reykjavik championsare heavy favorites to secure one of NA’s two spots at Copenhagen. They have carried their form over into Stage 2, only dropping one series in the group stage and playoffs.
However,XSETare not a team to be underestimated. With a 4-1 record in the group stage and a dominant win over100 Thievesin the playoffs, they’re looking to finally break their fourth-place curse and make it to an international event.
OpTic are also not the only team to have been affected by the coronavirus. Yesterday, NRGannouncedthat the team had a “potential COVID-19 exposure” earlier this week and would be taking the extra precaution of sending everyone home from their bootcamp early.
NRG will play their elimination match againstFaZe Clanfrom their respective homes on June 25.
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