Execration secures upper bracket slot at the expense of Nightmare Esports

Execration booked the first ticket in the upper bracket with a masterful sweep of Nightmare Esports, 2-0, in the Mobile Legends: Bang Bang Southeast Asian Cup (MSC) 2021 on Tuesday.

With MLBB Professional League (MPL) Philippines legend Billy "Z4pnu" Alfonso in tow for their final match in the group stages, the Pinoy squad looked inspired and delivered a dominant display en route to a lopsided series win.

Playing against a Diggie strategy in Game 1, a strategy that was first introduced in the MPL PH Season 6—ironically against Execration—the MPL Philippines Season 7 runner-ups knew the right counters from the draft and scored an easy Game 1 win in 12 minutes.

Kiel "Kielvj " Harnandez (Yi Shun Shin) finished with 10-1-10 while z4pnu (Chou), who last played in the MPL Season 6, did not show any rust with a 9-2-8 KDA. Joshua "Ch4knu" Mangilog (Kaja) was the MVP of the match with a 2-1-15 KDA that led a 29-6 annihilation of the Lao squad. His Kaja was especially effective in ambush pickoffs that caught their opponents off guards all-game long.

Nightmare then deployed a Blacklist International draft in Game 2, opting for the the Rafaela-Estes-Granger combo but the "healing meta" was easily countered by Execration courtesy of Ch4knu's Akai who executed pinpoint Thousand Pounder and Hurricane Dance for crucial pickoffs en route to a 0-3-11 KDA.

Ch4knu's brilliance was in full display early on, locking up two Nightmare members with his Hurricane Dance that was complemented by a timely Blazing Duet from Kelra leading to a 3-0 sweep in the gold lane at the 5th minute.

Nightmare tried to mount a comeback forcing a 4-2 exchange in the 9th minute to take down the middle outer turret.

But the Execration aggression could not be suppressed as a 12th minute 3-0 skirmish in the midlane shattered any hopes for a comeback.

Execration will face the top team from Group B in the upper bracket semi-finals.

—MGP, GMA News