By: Jerod Orcullo
Karl “KarlTzy” Nepomuceno led the charge as Team Liquid Philippines remained undefeated in MPL Philippines Season 15, fending off Smart Omega’s reverse sweep attempt, 2-1, Sunday at the Green Sun Hotel in Makati.
Despite Hayabusa holding a 0% win rate through the first two weeks of MPL Philippines Season 15, Team Liquid Philippines took a bold gamble by entrusting the hero to KarlTzy in the decisive game of the series.
The “Child Prodigy” proved he still had the mastery to unleash assassins to their full potential, making the most of Hayabusa’s kit. His standout moment came at the 13:11 mark when he miraculously escaped a four-man collapse from Omega in the mid lane.
Riding the momentum of KarlTzy’s heroics, Team Liquid closed out the series just four minutes later, crushing Omega’s hopes of a comeback with a swift 17-minute and five-second victory.
TLPH head coach Rodel “Ar Sy” Cruz acknowledged Omega’s strong performance but admitted they had braced themselves for tough battles against every team this season.
“Actually, hindi lang sa kanila—sa lahat talaga ng team, inexpect talaga namin na mahihirapan kami, pero kudos talaga sa Omega,” Ar Sy said.
Kiel “Oheb” Soriano’s Harith dominated the battlefield in the series opener, racking up nine kills and nine assists while falling just once in a 15-minute and 48-second match.
Omega, however, refused to go down easily, forcing a decider with clutch Diversion plays from Jayson “Ukir” Alupit’s Luo Yi. Their Game 2 win stretched to 30 minutes and 54 seconds—a tournament high.
Team Liquid will aim to extend its unbeaten streak when it faces defending champion ONIC Philippines on the second day of Week 3 at 7:30 p.m.
Meanwhile, Omega will battle Twisted Minds on March 14, with both teams seeking their first win of the season.
