MAKATI – Inside the Green Sun Hotel, Smart Omega and Aurora Gaming each won grueling 2-1 matches to start the second half of MPL Philippines Season 16 with fireworks on Friday. Patch 2.1.18, which introduced rotating maps and gave the competition a new level of strategy and unpredictability, was also released on the same day.
Smart Omega Repeats Over TNC in Thriller
With another thrilling series, Omega demonstrated their abilities against TNC Pro Team, repeating their 2-1 victory from the first day.
On the Expanding Rivers map, the Barangay got off to a great start in Game 1. As Omega took advantage of TNC’s late-game mistakes, Salic “Hadji” Imam’s Kagura dominated the midlane and finished with a 4/0/5 KDA. The Phoenix fell apart after Frediemar “3Mar” Serafico’s Benedetta was exposed, despite TNC’s early dominance, which included all three turtles, the first lord, and a gold lead. The momentum shifted decisively in Omega’s favor when Kimmy, played by Lance “LanceCy” Cunanan, and Bruno, played by Benedict “Bennyqt” Gonzales, were taken out shortly after.
Joshua “Ch4knu” Mangilog’s game-changing Grock helped TNC rally in Game 2. Justine “Zaida” Palma’s MVP-caliber Lancelot performance (3/1/3) was made possible by his well-timed conceal play at 17 minutes, which punished Omega’s initiation. TNC forced a decisive game through superior teamwork.
However, Omega gracefully ended the series in Game 3 on Dangerous Grass. Czedrick “SUPERYOSHI” Romero’s Khaleed made clutch plays to thwart TNC’s Luo Yi strategy, while James “Jeymz” Gloria and Hadji opened the midgame by taking advantage of the map’s distinctive topography. After the turtle fight in the eighth minute, Omega took control and the game was over in seventeen minutes.
Both squads now sit at 3-5, but Omega carry momentum into their clash with AP.Bren on Saturday, while TNC hope to snap a two game skid against Team Liquid PH.
Aurora Avenges Falcons with Statement Win
By defeating Team Falcons PH, Aurora Gaming reversed the outcome of their opening-day loss and increased their winning streak to seven games in a row.
First on the Flying Cloud map, the Falcons defeated Rowgien “Owgwen” Unigo’s Franco (2/3/10) in 15 minutes in Game 1. He gave Falcons a rare advantage by breaking Aurora’s rhythm with his early hooks on Dylan Aaron “Light” Catipon’s Chou and Kenneth “Yue” Tadeo’s Valentina.
With Yue’s perfect Cecilion (2/0/14) contributing to each kill, Aurora roared back in Game 2. In just eleven minutes, the Northern Lights defeated the Falcons, resulting in a thrilling final.
Aurora made her authority known on Broken Walls. Light’s Franco skillfully planned battles, while Edward Jay “Edward” Dapadap’s Uranus and Jonard Cedrix “Demonkite” Caranto’s Lancelot combined for ten kills. The Falcons’ draft was too short to counter Aurora’s Kimmy and Granger combination, as Yue and Jan Dominic “Domengkite” del Mundo destroyed their defenses in a 12-3 victory.
After defeating every team in the league, the win not only made up for Aurora’s opening-day gaffe but also solidified their status as a contender. Next week, the Northern Lights will take on Team Liquid PH at 7-1 to try to extend their winning streak. On Saturday, the Falcons, who haven’t won since Week 1, will try to snap their seven-game losing streak against Twisted Minds PH.
