Fnatic ONIC Philippines secured their spot in the M6 World Championship knockout stage after defeating BloodThirstyKings (BTK), 2-1, on Sunday at the IOI Grand Exhibition & Convention Center in Malaysia.
This impressive victory not only advanced the Filipino squad to the next stage but also handed BTK their first loss of the tournament, leaving them with a 2-1 record.
“Relieved a bit and excited, I think everyone saw that the group was 1-2, 2-1, and all the champions. Having that match against BTK really gave us perspective on what the world of MLBB is like,” said head coach Anthony “Ynot” Senedrin in an exclusive interview with Tiebreaker Times.
“It’s really not just Indonesia anymore, not just the Philippines, not just Malaysia. I respect each and every country involved. In this tournament, I respect that everyone is growing. It’s a sense of relief that we have a day off to recuperate and discuss what we need to improve. It’s a big bonus for us,” he continued.
In the decisive Game 3, Duanne “Kelra” Pillas’ Irithel shone throughout the match, securing a Maniac before the match ended in just 11 minutes and 54 seconds. The 19-year-old gold laner finished the match with an impressive 11 kills, one death, and five assists.
In Game 1, Kelra used Layla—the first in M-Series history—which became pivotal for his squad in taking the match point. The opener concluded in exactly 20 minutes, with Kelra being named MVP for his flawless KDA of five kills and four assists.
Meanwhile, in Game 2, Ziameth-Jei “ZIA” Caluya’s Bruno propelled the North American squad to even out the series at 1-1. ZIA was awarded Player of the Match with an impressive record of seven kills, one death, and seven assists.
Joining Fnatic ONIC Philippines in the knockout stage is RRQ Hoshi, who triumphed in a hard-fought 2-1 battle against Twisted Minds on Saturday.
