MPL PHILIPPINES

Blacklist survives Nexplay in close 3-game series to keep playoff hopes alive

Blacklist International secured their second win this season in a 2-1 squeaker over Nexplay Evos in in Week 6 of the Mobile Legends: Bang Bang Professional League (MPL) Philippines Season 9 on Friday.

Despite a 2-8 win-loss card, the team still has a good chance of securing a slot in the playoffs with 11 points so far, good for sixth place. The top six teams in the regular season will qualify for the playoffs.

Blacklist quickly pulled ahead in the opener after a 2-0 wipe in a 2nd minute turtle fight followed by another 2-0 takedown in the 5th minute for a 3k gold lead.

But the defending champions needed three lord takes before finally dispatching a pesky NXPE side at the 16th minute led by Kent Xavier "Kevier" Lopez's (Karina) 5-0-4 KDA.

In Game 2, NXPE controlled the early goings and maintained a slim 2k gold lead until Blacklist forced a three-man top lane gank to pick off Jhonwin "Hesa" Vergara (Clint) only for the Dogie-led squad to punish them with a 3-0 retaliation.

NXPE then came out on top of a lengthy 13th minute lord fight that saw them score a 5-2 wipeout to force the decider.

Needing a win to boost their chances of making it into the playoffs this season, Blacklist played a meticulous Game 3 and relied on their tried and tested macro strategies to slowly secure their winning conditions.

After getting timely pickoffs and securing the early game objectives, the reigning world champions took a 9-3 kill spread and a 7k gold lead at the 10th minute en route to their second win of the season.

—MGP, GMA News