MPL: Aurora Gaming, Team Falcons near grand finals after separate upper bracket semis wins

Four teams left standing, all with world titles to their names.

Aurora Gaming and Team Falcons are on the brink of a grand finals appearance and an M8 World Championship ticket after separate victories in the upper bracket semifinals on Thursday at the PhilSports Arena.

M7 world champion Aurora Gaming pulled off a major upset, surviving a nail-biting Game 4 to shock three-time reigning MPL champion and M4 world champion Team Liquid with a thrilling 3-1 victory.

Team Liquid threatened to force a turnaround in Game 4, but reigning world champions Aurora Gaming weathered the storm, let their minion waves do the work, and picked off the defending MPL champions one by one to seal the stunning upset.

Aurora's win sent Team Liquid to the lower bracket, where a loss would end its four-peat dreams.

Meanwhile, M5 world champions Team Falcons dominated M6 winner Onic Philippines with a clean 3-0 sweep behind jungler Michael "Kyle" Sayson, who emerged almost untouchable throughout the best-of-five affair.

Kyle only had one death through three games after a 6/0/6 KDA in Game 1 and a 7/0/8 showing in Game 2, which both saw him utilize Hirara in the jungle, while Hadji claimed the MVP honors in Game 2 by flaunting support hero Rafaela in the midlane to help clinch the match point at 2-0.

Kyle then opted for an Alice pick in Game 3, pouring in 2 kills and 12 assists against just one to finish it off and send Onic to the lower bracket.

Aurora and Team Falcons will now duke it out in the upper bracket finals set on Friday with the winner advancing to the grand finals and the loser dropping to lower bracket against either Team Liquid or Onic.

—JKC, GMA News