KarlTzy after Team Liquid’s M7 exit: Even the ‘GOAT’ falls sometimes

JAKARTA— Every time Karl “KarlTzy” Nepomuceno stepped onto the world stage before, he walked away with a trophy.

This time was different.

This edition of the Mobile Legends: Bang Bang World Championship ended with a stinging loss he will remember as Team Liquid bowed out from the M7 Word Championship after a 3-2 loss to Alter Ego in the lower bracket semifinals on Saturday.

The loss also shattered the Cavalry’s dream of completing a never-before-done ‘Golden Road’ feat in the Mobile Legends: Bang Bang scene.

Still, the defeat did little to erase KarlTzy’s legacy as one of the game’s greats. In fact, it only proved that he is human after all — capable of losing, learning, and rising again.

“Opo [kahit GOAT (greatest of all time) na ako, matatalo pa rin ako] kasi gano’n naman talaga. Lahat natatalo, lahat ng GOAT natatalo,” KarlTzy told GMA News Online on Saturday.

“Siguro ‘yung kaibahan ko sa iba ay babawi pa kami.”

KarlTzy and Team Liquid endured a shaky M7 campaign from the start.

The Cavalry finished the Swiss Stage with a 3–1 record after suffering a loss to Malaysian champions SRG in the third round. They then fell to compatriots Aurora Gaming in the upper bracket opener, sending them to the lower bracket where the road to glory became even tougher.

Team Liquid refused to go home just yet, thrashing Indonesian champion Onic before sending Aurora Turkey packing to arrange an LB semifinals against Alter Ego.

They ran out of steam in Game 5 as Alter Ego carried the Indonesian fight against SRG in the lower bracket finals.

KarlTzy, however, remains unfazed, saying the setback will only fuel their comeback in the upcoming tournament.

“Sobrang nakakalungkot pero gano’n talaga eh, hindi pwedeng panalo lagi. Expected ko rin naman na papahirapan kami ngayong Worlds kasi lahat nga ng teams sa amin nakatingin,” KarlTzy added.

“So siguro, pantanggal pressure na rin sa amin ‘to sa mga susunod na tournaments. Pero try naming ulitin ‘to.”

—JKC, GMA Integrated News