Aurora, Team Liquid spotless in upset-filled MPL opening weekend

Aurora Gaming and Team Liquid Philippines were the only teams who got out unscathed after a thrilling opening weekend of Mobile Legends: Bang Bang Professional League (MPL) Philippines Season 15.

Aurora, the runner-up finisher last season, and Team Liquid PH, a one-time MPL champion back in Season 13, took down two foes each to remain atop the team standings with identical 2-0 cards.

Aurora started it out with a 2-0 sweep of debuting Twisted Minds in the opening game last Friday that saw gold laner Jan "Domengkite" Delmundo unleashing a flawless 7/0/4 KDA on his Granger in Game 1.

Jungler Jonard "Demonkite" Caranto then displayed a Suyou masterclass come Game 2 with four kills and two assists against no death as they gave the Saudi Arabia-based team a rude welcome into the MPL.

But the biggest upset came after that as Aurora shrugged off a Game 2 hiccup and eked out a huge 2-1 victory over no less than the defending MPL PH and world champion Onic Philippines on Saturday.

Midlaner Kenneth "Yue" Tadeo (Zhuxin) led the way in Game 1 while the tandem of Edward "Edward" Dapadap and Renejay "Renejay" Barcase displayed their veteran presence in Game 3 to give the reigning titleholders their first loss of the season.

Team Liquid, meanwhile, opened its redemption tour with a 2-0 win against another new team Team Falcons, who are now bannered by the former core of AP. Bren. They then secured a similar sweep triumph over Smart Omega to go immaculate through the first week.

Onic, Team Falcons, and TNC are all tied at 1-1 in the ladder while AP. Bren and Omega are at 0-1. Twisted Minds, whose core is made up mostly of former Blacklist International players, is winless at 0-2.

—JMB, GMA Integrated News