By: George Torno
Team Liquid PH launched their playoff run with a commanding 3–1 victory over Team Falcons in the MPL Philippines Season 16 playoffs on Wednesday at the Cuneta Astrodome in Pasay City, propelling the Cavalry to the upper bracket and setting up a Season 15 grand finals rematch against ONIC Philippines.
The highly-anticipated clash between the defending MPL PH Champions and the reigning World Champions is on Thursday, October 23, at the Cuneta Astrodome.
In the decider, KarlTzy dominated early, taking all three turtles with Sanford’s (Yu Zhong) Black Dragon Form zoning Team Falcons.
TLPH captured the first two lords and built an 8k gold lead in just 13 minutes. By the 15th-minute Lord fight, KarlTzy secured the objective again with a two-for-none trade, closing the game in 17 minutes and sealing the series.
Head Coach Rodel “Ar Sy” Cruz said the team worked on their chemistry in order to synchronize team plays coming into the play-ins.
“Pinaka-napansin ko nitong playoffs kasi, mas buo yung team. Mas mataas ang chemistry namin, tapos buong-buo talaga tiwala namin si isa’t isa,” Ar Sy said.
The earlier games were a roller-coaster for both squads.
Game 1 showcased TLPH’s dominance, led by Sanford “Sanford” Vinuya’s Yu Zhong. He effectively zoned out Team Falcons and helped build a 7k gold lead just eight minutes into the match.
Kiel “Oheb” Soriano’s (Ruby) I’m Offended set-up caught two members of Team Falcons, and Jaypee “Jaypee” Dela Cruz’s (Gatotkaca) Avatar of the Guardian followed with a 2-for-0 exchange that ended the game in only 11 minutes.
Game 2 mirrored the opener. Karl “KarlTzy” Nepomuceno (Lancelot) secured all three turtles and led a five-minute wipeout against Team Falcons, establishing an 8k gold lead just five minutes into the game and capturing the first Lord.
The defending champions extended their advantage to 10k by the 11-minute mark, and despite a valiant Falcons defense, TLPH’s lead proved insurmountable.
Oheb’s standout Harith performance sealed the match point and earned him MVP honors.
Game 3 turned into a back-and-forth battle, with neither team giving up kills freely.
At the 17-minute Lord fight, KarlTzy secured the objective, but Marco “Super Marco” Requitano’s (Bane) triple kill shifted momentum, allowing Team Falcons to extend the series.
