By: Jan Marcus Montevirgen
Falcons AP.Bren secured their sixth victory in the MPL Philippines Season 14 after a nail-biting 2-1 series against TNC Pro Team on Saturday at the Green Sun Hotel in Makati.
The decisive moment for the reigning world champions came in the 13th minute of the final game. AP.Bren executed a crucial play, wiping out TNC and sealing the win with a straight push down the top lane.
Despite TNC securing the 13th-minute lord objective with Ken “Kzen” Pile’s efforts, David “FlapTzy” Canon (Phoveus) made a game-changing play by knocking up four members of the Phoenix Army, finishing the match in just 14 minutes and two seconds. FlapTzy ended with one kill, four assists, and two deaths.
“I feel they’re starting to understand the strengths of their team. I do hope that they reinforce those strong points of the team. If they follow through with this groove, I think they’ll find a good footing in the second half of the regular season,” said head coach Francis “Duckey” Glindro in the post-match interview.
In Game 1, the reigning champions capitalized on their early aggression strategy, allowing Michael “KyleTzy” Sayson (Roger) to dominate with seven kills and two assists in just nine minutes.
Despite TNC’s resilience, particularly Salvick “Kouzen” Tolarba’s late-game potential on Karrie, AP.Bren’s minion waves on the bot lane proved pivotal, leading to a 25-minute and 41-second game opener.
KyleTzy was named MVP for his impressive performance, with a KDA of eight kills, three assists, and two deaths.
Game 2 saw TNC making a comeback as Jomearie “Escalera” Delos Santos delivered a standout performance on Mathilda, significantly impacting skirmishes.
Escalera’s 100-percent kill participation and a KDA of one kill, 10 assists, and one death played a crucial role in TNC’s victory in the second game.
Falcons AP.Bren will face Aurora on Sunday at 7:30 p.m., while TNC Pro Team will take on RSG PH at 5:00 p.m., with both matches taking place at the same Makati venue.
