Top 8 Feature Match: Sehabi Kheireddine Versus Umar Haq
Earlier today we saw Sehabi Kheireddine defeat Dale Bellido in a Match that pitted Kheireddine’s Blackwings against Bellido’s Dragunities. Now he was fighting that same match-up again, this time against Umar Haq. One more time, it’s Blackwings versus Dragunities… and this time, the winner goes to the Top 4!
Kheireddine opened the Match with a handshake, and a hand of Mirror Force; Icarus Attack; Blackwing – Bora the Spear; Blackwing – Blizzard the Far North; Allure of Darkness; and Black Whirlwind. He activated Allure to get Blackwing – Kalut the Moonshadow and Cards for Black Feathers, banishing Blizzard. He then banished Kalut to activated Cards for Black Feathers, drawing Pot of Duality and Torrential Tribute. He activated Duality to reveal Bora, Fiendish Chain, and Bottomless Trap Hole: he added Fiendish Chain to his hand and shuffled the other two back. He activated Whirlwind, then Normal Summoned Bora to search out Blackwing – Zephyros the Elite. He Set all four of his Traps.
Haq activated Dragon Ravine, discarding Dragunity Phalanx to search Dragunity Dux. He Summoned Dux and Kheireddine flipped Fiendish Chain, trying to negate its effect: Haq chained Forbidden Lance, but Kheireddine Chained Icarus Attack, Tributing Bora to destroy Dux and Ravine! Haq ended with a blank field.
Kheireddine drew Blackwing – Shura the Blue Flame and Summoned Zephyros, searching Blackwing – Gale the Whirlwind with Black Whirlwind’s effect. He made a direct attack with Zephyros, dropping Haq to 6400 Life Points.
Haq drew to four cards in hand and Normal Summoned Dragunity Aklys: Kheireddine responded with Torrential Tribute.
Kheireddine drew Blackwing – Sirocco the Dawn and Summoned Shura, using Whirlwind to get Bora from his Deck. He bounced Whirlwind back to his hand to Special Summon Zephyros from his Graveyard, then Special Summoned Gale from his hand, attacking for exactly 6400 Battle Damage to win the Duel!
Icarus Attack lets Sehabi Kheireddine win out on a key chain in the early game, and from there Umar Haq just can’t get a game going! A flurry of Special Summons fueled by Black Whirlwind give Kheireddine the first Duel; one more win like that would see him in the Top 4.
Haq opened Game 2 by Setting three cards to his back row.
Kheireddine had Icarus Attack; Fiendish Chain; Black Whirlwind; Blackwing – Gale The Whirlwind; Maxx “C”; and Blackwing – Bora the Spear. He activated Black Whirlwind, then Normal Summoned Bora straight into Bottomless Trap Hole. He Set Icarus and Fiendish Chain. Whe he moved to his End Phase Haq flipped Royal Decree!
Haq activated Dragon Ravine and pitched Dragunity Arma Leyvaten to send Dragunity Phalanx to his Graveyard from his Deck, then brought it back with Dragunity Dux – Kheireddine dropped the Maxx “C” to draw another Black Whirlwind. Kheireddine attacked for 1900 Battle Damage.
Kheireddine drew Dark Armed Dragon. He Normal Summoned Gale to search Blackwing – Vayu the Emblem of Honor, then used Gale’s effect to halve Dux’s ATK. Gale attacked Dux, but Haq won the battle thanks to Forbidden Lance! Dux took Gale down, dropping Kheireddine to 5650 Life Points. Kheireddine Set his second Whirlwind.
Haq Synchro Summoned Dragunity Knight – Vajrayana, and used its effect to bring back Phalanx, Special Summoning it! He Tuned them together to Synchro Summon Stardust Dragon, then discarded Torrential Tribute for Dragon Ravine, searching out another Dux. That got him back Phalanx, for another Vajrayana, to Synchro Summon Crimson Blader. He attacked with both monsters to drop Kheireddine to 350 Life Points.
Haq drew Blackwing – Zephyros the Elite. He flipped his second Whirlwind and Summoned Zephyros, searching out two copies of Blackwing – Kalut the Moon Shadow. Zephyros attacked Stardust and Kheireddine threw down both Kaluts, getting himself to three Dark monsters for Dark Armed Dragon. In Main Phase 2 he Summoned it, and the assembled crowd exploded! He banished Kalut to destroy Decree; another Kalut to destroy Ravine; and then Gale to destroy Crimson Blader!
Haq had just one card left in hand, and next turn when he tried to Summon Dragunity Legionnaire Kheireddine flipped Fiendish Chain. Haq’s last card was Dragunity Arma Mystletainn; he sent Legionnaire to the Graveyard to Special Summon Mystletainn, but when he went for Dragunity Phalanx and it hit the field, that gave Kheireddine the second target he needed to activate Icarus Attack, and he Tributed Zephyros to destroy Haq’s last two cards! Haq extended the handshake!
Sehabi Kheireddine makes an astounding comeback in Game 2, fighting out from under Stardust Dragon and Royal Decree to turn the Duel around with Dark Armed Dragon!
