The opening day of MPL PH Season 17 wasted no time delivering high-intensity action, as Team Liquid PH (TLPH) clashed with Aurora Gaming (RORA) in a tightly contested best-of-three series. Packed with momentum swings, clutch plays, and late-game heroics, the matchup set the tone for what promises to be an electrifying season.
Game 1: Daiki Shines in Late-Game Domination
From the very first Turtle fight, both teams came out swinging, with bodies already dropping in the early skirmishes. Karl “KarlTzy” Nepomuceno secured the first Turtle on his Leomord, helping TLPH maintain steady pressure throughout the early game.
By the 8-minute mark, TLPH held a slim 9-8 lead and continued to dictate the pace. However, Aurora found a crucial opening at the 10-minute mark, as Dylan “Light” Catipon landed a massive Grock set that shattered TLPH’s formation.
This sparked a tense Lord dance, but despite the earlier misstep, KarlTzy delivered once again, securing the first Lord with a commanding 7-2 kill score in TLPH’s favor. With momentum back on their side, TLPH pushed through the mid lane, largely thanks to Kim “Daiki” Sebanes’ stellar performance in the gold lane.
Aurora managed to buy time with a Lord take of their own, but it wasn’t enough. As the game reached its late stages, Daiki hit his power spike and delivered a decisive four-man wipeout. With only Light left to defend, TLPH closed out Game 1.
Game 2: Aurora Strikes Back with Authority
Aurora Gaming came into Game 2 with a clear adjustment in strategy, and it paid off immediately. They secured the first Turtle and First Blood, quickly building momentum.
By the 6-minute mark, RORA had established a dominant 6-1 lead, continuously pressuring KarlTzy and denying him access to his jungle. The gold gap widened as Aurora racked up kills, eventually converting their advantage into a Lord take.
Although TLPH managed to defend their base and stall the game, Aurora maintained control. A brief glimmer of hope appeared for TLPH when Jaypee’s Khaleed and Sanji’s ultimate combo picked off Jan “Domengkite” Delmundo’s Harith, halting Aurora’s push.
However, the recovery was short-lived. Aurora regrouped, executed a clean team fight, and secured a full wipeout on TLPH, closing Game 2 convincingly and forcing a decider.
Game 3: TLPH Regains Control to Seal the Series
With the series on the line, both teams opted for a more cautious approach in Game 3, focusing heavily on protecting their gold laners.
TLPH gradually took control of the early game, with KarlTzy once again stepping up to secure the first two Turtles. Despite a mid-game setback, where Jaypee’s rotation left Daiki exposed and allowed Domengkite to score a pickoff, TLPH maintained their overall lead.
The turning point came after TLPH secured their third Turtle and forced a decisive team fight around the 10-minute mark, eliminating three members of Aurora and tightening their grip on the map.
Aurora made one last stand in defense of their base, but TLPH proved too strong. A final team fight ended in a wipeout, allowing TLPH to immediately push and close out the game, and the series.
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