MPL PHILIPPINES

Onic PH avenges 1st round loss to Nexplay Evos with sweet escape in Week 5

Onic Philippines scored their fourth win in the last five matches with a close 2-1 victory against Nexplay Evos in Week 5 of the Mobile Legends: Bang Bang Professional League (MPL) Philippines Season 9 on Sunday.

The three-time MPL PH runner-up has now put together a hot streak to push for a Top 2 regular season finish after securing 15 points, four points behind league-leading TNC who has 19 points.

In Game 1, Onic deployed effective farming to negate a 10-5 kill deficit and take a slim early game net worth lead until Nexplay converted a 9th minute pickoff on Kairi for a lord take.

But with Kairi "Kairi" Rayosdelsol (Aulus) hitting his late game targets, Onic mounted a comeback in a 12th minute lord fight to score a 3-1 tradeoff that took down NXPE's midlane inhibitor turret.

Kairi then scored a triple kill in a decisive 16th minute clash to finally pull ahead, 1-0. He finished with a stellar 11-3-2 KDA.

Contrary to the opener marked by numerous clashes that took 33 total kills in just 16 minutes, both teams decided to focus on farming and macro objectives in Game 2.

It was NXPE though who asserted themselves, taking a 5k gold lead during the midgame that helped them score a 3-1 trade off in the 12th minute.

Not even a turnaround kill on an out of position Jeniel "YellyHaze" Bata-Anon (Cecillon) in the 13th minute could stop the Dogie-led squad as they flexed their might in the ensuing lord fight taking a 4-0 wipe to force a rubber match.

NXPE sustained their momentum in Game 3 as they took easy pickoffs early on for a 3-0 kill lead at the 4th minute. But Kairi (Lancelot) scored a double kill in the 6th minute off a Jaylord "Hatred" Gonzales (Kagura) Yin Yang Overturn setup to stop the bleeding.

NXPE once again looked dangerous in a 12th minute lord fight where they conceded the lord but went on to take a 4-1 trade off.

But Allen "Baloyskie" Baloy (Franco) caught a concealed Kenneth "CADENZA" Castro (Ruby) with an Iron Hook in the 16th minute that touched off a 4-0 wipe, giving Onic the series win.

—MGP, GMA News