By: Jan Marcus Montevirgen
In a twist of fate, the player who once posed the biggest threat to Karl “KarlTzy” Nepomuceno is now his strongest ally.
KarlTzy believes that the addition of Kiel “OHEB” Soriano to Team Liquid PH is a perfect fit—despite OHEB being one of ECHO’s fiercest rivals from Seasons 11 to 13 during the height of the Blacklist International-ECHO showdown.
Following Blacklist International’s decision to relinquish its MPL PH franchise slot on January 21, OHEB found himself searching for a new squad. After trying out with TLPH, KarlTzy immediately sensed a strong connection between OHEB and the team.
“Pagkatry-out po kasi sa amin (ni OHEB), parang feeling ko po nag-click yung team. Kasi madalas po kapag may try-out, may jitters pa. Pero para sa akin, parang matagal na namin siyang kakampi. So feel ko siya talaga dapat,” said the 20-year-old Hall of Legends inductee and two-time world champion.
On February 10, Team Liquid PH officially announced OHEB as their new gold laner, replacing M4 Finals MVP Benedict “Bennyqt” Gonzales, who is no longer part of the roster.
For KarlTzy, OHEB’s playstyle seamlessly blends with the team’s dynamic, making him an even better fit than Bennyqt.
“Para sa akin po, mas fit yung playstyle ngayon ni OHEB na sumasama sa mga clash. Kasi si Bennyqt po, mas kilala namin siya na segway. Pero feeling ko po ngayon sa meta, parang mas mauuna yung marksman pumasok. So yun po yung mas lamang ni OHEB sa kanya,” he explained.
As TLPH gears up for their season opener against Team Falcons on March 1, KarlTzy is confident that the team will bounce back, especially after last season’s heartbreaking 2-3 loss to Aurora in the Play-Ins.
“Siguro asahan nyo na mas mag-i-improve kami ng sobra, tsaka mas i-improve namin yung sarili namin. Kasi parang sobrang pangit ng run namin last season. So, abangan nyo na lang,” KarlTzy said.
