Clutch Kelra tows Omega to first win in MPL PH S9

Seemingly out of shape to start the season, Duane “Kelra” Pillas finally displayed his MVP form with pinpoint markmanship in the decider to give Omega Esports their first win and take down M3 world championship runners-up Onic Philippines in the  Mobile Legends: Bang Bang Professional League (MPL) Philippines Season 9 on Friday.

It was a much needed win for Omega, the MPL PH Season 7 runners-up, after succumbing to three straight losses via sweep to start the season. They finally barged into the win column and improved their record to 1-3 (2pts) to avoid getting buried deep in the cellar.

Omega opened Game 1 with vindication as they leaned on Patrick James “E2MAX” Caidic's (Selena) dangerous abyssal arrows to dictate the tempo of the early to mid-game.

Not even Allen “Baloyskie” Baloy's championship Natalia pick could overwhelm Omega as the MLBB Southeast Asian Cup champions converted a 3-2 exchange in the 12th minute into a luminous lord take and complete the final base turret push in the ensuing play, 1-0.

It looked like a sweep was on the way after Joshua “Ch4knu” Mangilog's vintage Khufra executed superb set-ups in the early game leading to pick offs and a 3-0 kill lead by the 5th minute.

Omega then extended the gap into a 15-5 kill spread but Jaylord “Hatred” Gonzales (Kagura) scored a clutch lord steal in the 13th minute to help Onic extend the match deep into late game.

Onic then mounted another comeback attempt in the 17th minute with a 4-2 wipe followed by a luminous lord take that gave them control until they scored another 5-2 wipeout in the 22nd minute for the equalizer, 1-1.

The three-time MPL PH runners-up carried the momentum in Game 3 as they controlled the match from the get go and looked poised for a reverse sweep but Kelra (Beatrix) did a Game 2 Hatred with a lord steal in the 14th minute to keep their hopes of a comeback alive.

Staring at a 13-6 kill deficit and a marching luminous lord, Omega clutched their way through a decisive base turret clash in the 18th minute that saw Onic almost ending the game before Kelra completed a maniac to lead a 5-1 wipeout that turned the game around in a flash.

Kelra finished with a near-perfect 6-1-1 KDA and scored the most crucial plays in Omega's first win of the season.

Onic fell to 2-2 (6pts) with the loss.

—JMB, GMA News