MPL: Team Liquid repels Team Falcons, secures historic three-peat

Team Liquid exacted revenge on Team Falcons with a 4-2 victory in the Mobile Legends: Bang Bang Professional League (MPL) Philippines Season 17 Grand Finals on Sunday at the Filoil Centre.

The victory saw the Cavalry make history as the first team ever to win three consecutive MPL Philippines championships. It also served as a sweet redemption for Team Liquid, which suffered its lone defeat of the season at the hands of Team Falcons during the regular season.

Team Liquid made sure Team Falcons wouldn't pull one over them again.

The reigning champions didn't waste time flexing their muscles after Team Liquid unloaded a whopping 14,000 gold lead in the first 11 minutes to take a dominant 14-1 kill spread advantage. With Sanford "Sanford" Vinuya (Paquito) posting a spotless KDA of 7/0/5, Team Liquid drew first blood hardly breaking a sweat.

Team Liquid made quick work of Team Falcons in Game 2 with midlaner Alston "Sanji" Pabico spearheading the rout with nine kills and 11 assists while posting a perfect 100% kill participation rate, helping the Cavalry take a commanding 2-0 lead in the best-of-seven series.

However, Team Falcons found their footing and rallied to put pressure on Team Liquid in the next two games.

Team Falcons, whose core captured the Season 12 title under AP.Bren in 2023, finally punched back in Game 3.

Behind Salic "Hadji" Imam's brilliant use of Yve, the Team Falcons raced to a 6-0 kill lead before Michael "KyleTzy" Sayson (Fredrinn) secured the fourth Lord at the 21st-minute mark to power his squad to its first win of the series and avert a sweep.

Team Falcons overcame a sluggish start in Game 4 as Michael "Kyle" Sayson (Fredrinn) came through in a crucial moment, winning the Retribution battle during a Lord dance in the 16th minute before Marco "Super Marco" Requitiano (Karrie) sparked the four-man wipeout to help his team even the series to 2-2.

Team Liquid, though, regrouped to take the next two games.

Sanford once again picked his comfort hero Paquito in Game 5 after using Phoveus in Game 3 and Yu Zhong in Game 4. And that spelled the difference for the Cavalry as the veteran exp laner dazzled with a perfect 8/0/2 KDA to clinch the championship point at 3-2.

Team Falcons kept it close in Game 6, but an 11th-minute skirmish paved the way for the championship.

Rookie gold laner Dave "Teddy" Viaña turned the tide in Team Liquid's favor when he unleashed Claude's Blazing Duet during a crucial 11th-minute skirmish, picking up a triple kill on Flap's Lapu-Lapu, Owgwen's Hylos, and Hadji's Yve. Although Team Falcons managed to mount a defense, Teddy delivered another game-changing play by stealing the next Lord and paving the way for the victory.

This will mark the first time in the league's history that a team seized three straight titles. Blacklist International came close in the past when it ruled Seasons 7 and 8, but failed to replicate that feat in Season 9.

—JKC, GMA News