Team Falcons delivered when it counted the most, securing their spot in the knockout rounds with a huge victory in a do-or-die showdown against the Wildcard winners Falcons MENA in the Group A lower bracket semifinals on July 26.
The MPL Philippines Season 17 runner-up staged a swift rebound following a tough loss to MPL Indonesia champions Team Vitality, sweeping the series 2-0 and keeping Philippine championship hopes firmly alive.
Falcons PH Take Flight Early
From the get-go, Falcons PH dictated the tempo of Game 1. Mid-laner Salic “Hadji” Imam was on point with his arrows, helping his team race out to an early 3-0 kill lead.
Falcons MENA, however, snatched the first Turtle after Sanji and Troll picked off Kyle’s Nolan, but the Filipinos quickly struck back. Owgwen spearheaded the counter-engagement, setting up Hadji for a clean double kill.
Despite some resistance from the Saudi Arabian squad, Falcons PH remained firmly in control. After claiming an uncontested Lord at the 16-minute mark, Team Falcons marched into the enemy base to take the 1-0 series lead.
Game 2 unfolded differently, as Falcons MENA played with much greater confidence to force a back-and-forth early game. At the 9-minute mark, Falcons MENA roamer Troll found a sharp setup, catching Owgwen off guard. Michael “Kyle” Sayson looked to make a play, but he ran straight into five MENA players and was punished for it.
However, Hadji once again came to the rescue. By pinning down the enemy gold laner, Hadji allowed SuperMarco to catch up in the team fight, compensating with two kills and helping keep the game even.
Team Falcons, Faclons MENA Deliver Thriller
Shortly after, as the Filipinos attempted to secure the Lord, Falcons MENA forced a team fight and found early success by picking off Hadji. However, without their gold laner, they couldn’t maintain their advantage. The Filipinos quickly turned the fight around, with Kyle securing the Lord while Flap delivered a triple kill.
Despite the setback, Falcons MENA refused to back down, finding a crucial pick on Kyle to keep the game alive. From that moment on, a different Kyle emerged. Around the 15-minute mark, he caught the enemy marksman out of position, eliminating MENA’s primary damage dealer. With their enemy vulnerable, Kyle methodically dismantled the rest of Falcons MENA, capping off the fight with a Maniac on Hirara.
Throughout the early stages of the tournament, Falcons PH have put on an impressive display. Aside from a lone hiccup against Team Vitality, the Philippine squad swept through both Falcons MENA and China’s Guangzhou Gaming with authority.
Now, the stage is set for ultimate redemption as Falcons PH will get another crack at Team Vitality in the opening round of the Knockout Stage.
