Team Falcons PH swept ONIC Philippines, while Aurora Gaming PH defeated defending champions Team Liquid PH, 3-1, in the MPL Philippines Season 18 upper-bracket semifinals at the PhilSports Arena in Pasig City on Thursday.
Falcons secured a dominant 3-0 series win to advance to the upper-bracket finals, while Aurora recovered from an opening-game loss to win three straight games and send Liquid to the lower bracket.
Team Falcons shut down ONIC in three games
The Green Falcons established control in Game 1 through disciplined macro play, pulling ahead from the midgame onward before closing out the match in under 20 minutes. Michael “Kyle” Sayson earned MVP honors with a 6/0/6 KDA on Hirara, while Salic “Hadji” Imam added a 5/2/5 line on Zhuxin. ONIC struggled to contest objectives, going nearly 20 minutes without securing a Turtle or Lord as Falcons dictated the pace.
The second game was even more one-sided. Falcons led from the opening minutes and wrapped up the match in just 14 minutes, limiting ONIC to only five kills. Marco “SuperMarco” Requitiano led the way on Paquito with a 9/0/4 KDA, while Hadji earned MVP honors on Rafaela with a 0/1/6 scoreline.
Falcons’ controlled aggression repeatedly caught King Cyric “K1NGKONG” Perez’s Fanny and Jann Kirk “Kirk” Gutierrez’s Lapu-Lapu, leaving ONIC with few opportunities to fight back.
Facing elimination, ONIC drafted for a later power spike in Game 3, placing Frince “SuperFrince” Ramirez on Cecilion and Borris “Brusko” Parro on Carmilla in the middle lane. FLCN answered with a bulkier lineup, using Paquito and Cici in the side lanes.
K1NGKONG’s Aulus finished 5/1/1, but ONIC again failed to secure a Turtle or Lord. Kyle’s Alice controlled the team fights and earned his second MVP award of the series with a 2/1/12 KDA, completing Falcons’ 3-0 sweep.
Aurora rallies to defeat Team Liquid PH
Team Liquid drew first blood in Game 1, using the Golden Turret map to establish an early advantage and prevent Aurora from controlling the map. Karl Gabriel “KarlTzy” Nepomuceno led the way on Nolan with a 5/1/5 KDA to claim MVP honors, while Domeng’s 5/1/1 Harith could not turn Aurora’s pressure into a win.
Aurora found its answer in Game 2, although Liquid initially looked poised to take a commanding lead. Liquid built an advantage of more than 4,000 gold, but a shutdown on KarlTzy’s Nolan in the sixth minute gave Aurora an opening to recover.
Nathanael “Nathzz” Astrologo’s Barats proved crucial in the turnaround, earning MVP honors with a 0/3/18 KDA. Kenneth “Yue” Tadeo also caused problems for Liquid on Kimmy, finishing with a 5/1/13 line as Aurora gradually took control of the map and leveled the series.
Aurora seized the lead with a dominant Game 3 performance, finishing the 13-minute game with a 16-1 kill advantage. Kyle “Koyl” Reyes led the rout on Hirara, recording a 9/1/6 KDA to claim MVP honors.
Domeng’s Esmeralda also ran over Liquid’s side lanes, finding repeated opportunities against Dave “Teddy” Viana’s Freya as Aurora moved one win away from the upper-bracket finals.
Liquid came close to forcing a fifth game in Game 4. The defending champions secured the Lord around the 14th minute and nearly wiped out Aurora, but they could not convert the advantage into a game-ending push. The turning point arrived near the 18th minute, when Jaypee “Jaypee” dela Cruz and Sanford “Sanford” Vinuya attempted to set up a play near the orange buff, but Nathzz and Yue disrupted the attempt, leaving the rest of Liquid unable to follow up in time.
Alston “Sanji” Pabico tried to salvage the fight by chasing Yue, but Dylan “Light” Catipon’s Marcel intervened with a clutch Golden Hour. The save kept Yue alive and allowed Light to take down Sanji instead.
Aurora then repeatedly pressured Liquid’s exposed base, eventually eliminating Sanford. Liquid tried to hold the line in a 4v5 defense, but Aurora’s advancing minion waves kept the pressure on. Domeng chipped away at the base while Light’s timely Golden Hour helped Aurora survive the defense, and Aurora eventually destroyed the structure to seal the 3-1 series win.
Falcons, Aurora clash for the first M8 ticket
Aurora will face Team Falcons PH in the upper-bracket finals, with the first ticket to the M8 World Championship on the line. Aurora has yet to beat Falcons this season and will get another chance to break that run with a place in the grand finals at stake.
Meanwhile, Team Liquid PH will face ONIC Philippines in the lower-bracket semifinals, where the loser will be eliminated from the playoffs. ONIC has yet to win a series against the defending champions, while Liquid must bounce back from its loss to Aurora to keep its title defense alive. The winner will remain in contention for the MPL PH S18 crown and a return to the M-Series.
