Smart Omega hit the ground running with a 2-1 victory over TNC Pro Team to open the MPL Philippines Season 16 regular season on Friday at the Green Sun Hotel in Makati City.
The win was a nostalgic one for Omega, as the team welcomed back Dean “Raizen” Sumagui and Salik “Hadji” Imam. The duo last played for the organization in Season 11 and Season 7, respectively.
Omega coach Lemuel Josh “Lembot” Lucban praised his players for staying faithful to their winning strategies, which resulted in dominant performances in Game 1 and Game 3.
“Naexecute namin nang maayos yung mga plano. Nung Game 2, medyo nalito lang kami konte sa draft. Overall, all goods naman,” said Lembot of his team’s performance.
TNC initially gained the upper hand in Game 1, thanks to Justine “Zaida” Palma’s (Joy) standout performance, posting a 1-0-2 KDA and securing the 5th-minute turtle.
Dean “Raizen” Sumagui (Fanny) turned the tide for Omega, delivering a triple kill during the 10th-minute Lord fight that resulted in a 4-for-1 trade, putting his team ahead 1-0. Raizen finished the game with a flawless 7-0-5 KDA.
Game 2 saw TNC strike back as Joshua “Ch4knu” Mangilog relentlessly pressured Raizen’s Fanny, leading to a dominant 13-minute victory. Lance “LanceCy” Cunanan earned the game MVP honors with a near-perfect 5-1-8 KDA.
In the deciding match, Raizen reclaimed the spotlight with a commanding performance on Hayabusa, finishing with a 3-0-4 KDA to secure the series win for Omega.
