With three weeks left in regular season play, the top three teams — Aurora Gaming, ONIC Philippines, and Team Liquid PH — are figure in crucial clashes as the playoff race heats up.
ONIC Philippines continued its mastery of defending champion Team Liquid PH with a 2-1 reverse sweep to highlight Week 5 of the MPL Philippines Season 16 regular-season play.
The reigning M6 world champions completed a season sweep of TLPH to improve to 6-2, marking their fourth win in five matches and staying within striking distance of league leader Aurora Gaming (7-1).
With the victory, the Super Family bolstered its chances of securing an outright upper-bracket playoff berth, while Team Liquid PH dropped to 6-3 as the playoff race intensifies with three weeks to play in regular season play.
“I think mas naging better ang match-up ngayon, kita naman sa score. Being competitive kasi, you’re looking at the baseline sa competition and having the MSC champions in a battle, knowing kung nasaan kami ngayon, I think is very good,” ONIC head coach Tony “Ynot” Senedrin said in the post-game interview.
However, the Cavalry quickly rebounded with a sweep of TNC Pro, staying within reach of Aurora (7-1) and ONIC in the race for two outright upper-bracket spots.
Meanwhile, No. 4 Twisted Minds (5-4) split its Week 5 assignments, falling to Team Falcons PH (2-7) before bouncing back against AP.Bren (3-6).
All eyes will be on Week 6, as Aurora squares off with Team Liquid PH on Friday, September 26, before a highly anticipated clash with ONIC the next day.
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Pao Ambat earned his journalism degree from Cavite State University in 2022.
Passionate about sports from a young age, he primarily covers the NBA for One Sports, while also assisting in reporting on the PVL, PBA, UAAP, and other leagues.