Falcons stay alive vs. ONIC PH; Aurora thumps Twisted Minds

Falcons stay alive vs. ONIC PH; Aurora thumps Twisted Minds

MAKATI – Week 7 of MPL Philippines Season 16 kicked off with a statement from Aurora Gaming and Team Falcons PH, both securing crucial wins to start their weekend strong.

The Northern Lights burned through Twisted Minds to strengthen their upper bracket position. Team Falcons PH meanwhile stunned defending champions ONIC Philippines to keep their playoff hopes alive.

Domeng kites Twisted Minds

Jan Dominic “Domengkite” del Mundo led the charge for Aurora Gaming, putting up a flawless performance across two dominant games that saw Twisted Minds suffer their third straight loss.

The gold laner’s Granger went on a rampage in Game 1, scoring 11 kills in a 12-minute masterclass. With Kenneth “Yue” Tadeo dishing out 10 assists on top of two kills, Aurora took full control of the map and never looked back.

Mico “Nosia” Capil’s Obsidia struggled to find any impact, falling twice and securing just a single assist as Twisted Minds’ resistance crumbled by the sixth minute.

Domengkite kept the momentum in Game 2, once again bagging the MVP honors with three kills and five assists in an 11-minute rout. Jonard Cedrix “Demonkite” Caranto added a clean 2/0/3 on Lancelot, while Michael “MPtheKing” Endino’s Bane faltered with four deaths and minimal map presence.

Aurora dominated every major objective, leaving Twisted Minds with only one turret to show for the series.

Now mathematically in the upper bracket, Aurora Gaming will test their streak against TNC Pro Team on Sunday, while Twisted Minds search for answers as they prepare to face ONIC Philippines on Saturday.

Falcons rise from the ashes to stun ONIC

Team Falcons PH roared back to life with their best performance of the season, stunning ONIC Philippines in a thrilling 2–1 upset that kept their playoff flame alive.

The series opened with Rowgien “Owgwen” Unigo’s Franco anchoring Falcons’ Game 1 win. The roamer tallied a game-high 12 assists and one kill in a 15-minute triumph.

A crucial Lord steal by Michael “KyleTzy” Sayson’s Fredrinn at the 10-minute mark flipped the tempo. This allowed Marco “Super Marco” Requitiano’s Granger to go off with a 7/1/5 finish to close the game.

ONIC responded with force in Game 2, forcing a decider after a 22-minute grind. Jann Kirk “Kirk” Gutierrez’s Arlott landed multiple clutch Final Slashes, earning MVP honors with a 4/4/6 line. King Cyric “K1NGKONG” Perez also bounced back with a flawless Yi Sun-shin performance at 5/0/6. Meanwhile, Angelo “Pheww” Arcangel’s Pharsa contributed three kills and six assists in a losing effort.

But the Falcons refused to fold. In a chaotic Game 3, KyleTzy switched to Yi Sun-shin and led the squad, finishing with 5/1/6. His late-game double kill on Frince Miguel “SuperFrince” Ramirez and Duane “Kelra” Pillas sealed the upset after a crucial 20th-minute Lord take.

Team Falcons now turn their focus to AP.Bren on Sunday. This is while they are hoping the Hive can take down TNC Pro Team to boost their playoff chances. ONIC Philippines, meanwhile, will aim to halt their three-game losing skid when they face Twisted Minds PH on Saturday.

About Author

Drew Malihan

Drew sucks at FPS games but loves watching PUBG and VALORANT. He found his way into esports through MLBB and HOK, and will die on the hill that Football Manager and even Excel deserve to be esports titles—despite not being good at any of them.

See author's posts