(From MPL Philippines Facebook Page)
MANILA – Blacklist International and RSG Slate Philippines pulled off major surprises on Friday night to book their place in the upper bracket finals of the Mobile Legends Bang Bang Professional League (MPL) Philippines Season 11.
Blacklist first clinched a spot after stunning Bren Esports, 3-1, in the first upper bracket semifinal at the SMX Convention Center in Pasay.
Blacklist continued its Cinderella run after racing to a 2-0 lead against Bren.
Bren took one game back after a tight Game 3, but Lee Gonzales' Moskov was just too much to handle as he led Blacklist to the Game 4 win that sealed the series.
Blacklist, which entered the playoffs as the third seed, became the first team in the league's history to send a top seed – in this case, Bren – down to the lower bracket.
On the other hand, RSG PH needed to send its own best-of-five affair against Echo to sudden death before stealing the series.
A day after his crucial Lord steal decided his team's fate against Onic Philippines in the first round, John Tuazon once again pulled off the deciding play for RSG PH, this time showing his mastery of Lancelot in Game 4 before conniving with Nathzz Estrologo to take the Lord in the end to eventually force the rubber match.
With its confidence revived, RSG PH closed out Echo in Game 5 to seal the date with Blacklist.
The winner of the RSG PH-Blacklist tie will move on to the grand finals on Sunday night and secure a spot in the Mobile Legends Southeast Asia Cup (MSC), in which RSG PH is the reigning champ.
Meanwhile, Echo and Bren will now have to fight each other in the lower bracket semis also on Saturday.
Instead of disputing for the championship and just enjoying their places in MSC, both Echo and Bren will fight for survival. (PNA)
