M5: Onic survives thriller, sends Blacklist International to lower bracket

Indonesian powerhouse Onic Esports advanced to the M5 World Championship upper bracket semifinals after outlasting Blacklist International in a lengthy five-game series, 3-2, during their knockout stage clash on Saturday at the EVM Convention Centre.

With the loss, the Philippine bet has been relegated to the lower bracket where the Codebreakers will face their group stage tormentor Fire Flux Esports of Turkey. Onic, meanwhile, will take on Deus Vult of German in the semis.

Blacklist was on its way to breaking a 1-1 deadlock when midlaner Kenneth "Yue" Tadeo (Valentina) picked off Onic's Filipino jungler Kairi "Kairi" Rayosdelsol (Lancelot) in Game 3 before Onic emerged victorious in the final team clash en route to a wipeout. 

With a minion wave coming, the Indonesians went for a tower lock to call the game. Gold laner CW (Wanwan) shone the brightest with an impressive 9/2/5 KDA. 

Blacklist, however, breathed life back to its campaign by winning the crucial penultimate game in a dominant fashion, unleashing 10 kills against the lone one from Onic to force a decider.

Another gold laner took the spotlight as Kiel "Oheb" Soriano (Claude) grabbed four kills and four assists to tow the M3 world champions. 

Despite it, Blacklist could not build on this momentum come the sudden death as Onic needed just 13 minutes to extinguish the Codebreakers. 

Blacklist will have to crawl through the lower bracket in order to return to the finals for the third straight time in the M-series.

Good thing for the Filipinos though is it would not be an unfamiliar territory as they also weaved the same fate in M3, where they reigned supreme after sweeping compatriot Onic Philippines in the championship round. 

—JKC, GMA Integrated News