Team Liquid Echo ousts Falcon Esports, marches to MSC semis

Team Liquid Echo hurdled Falcons Esports of Myanmar, 3-1, to punch the first ticket to the semifinals stage of the Mobile Legends: Bang Bang Mid-Season Cup 2024 on Wednesday in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. 

The M4 world champion absorbed its first-ever game loss in the tournament, but still emerged on top and now awaits its next opponent, which could either be fellow Philippine representative Falcons AP. Bren or Cambodia's See You Soon. 

Karl "KarlTzy" Nepomuceno collected five of the team's 11 total kills in Game 1, which the Filipinos wrapped up in just 18 minutes and nine seconds with the  veteran jungler capturing the MVP plum on his Julian. 

They just then needed almost 14 minutes to close out the next game with Jaypee "Jaypee" Cruz, setting up their final tower lock with the lord marching on at the middle lane. Jaypee, whose masterful use of Kaja allowed Team Liquid Echo to secure the match point, was hailed the MVP with a perfect 0/0/12 KDA. 

That Game 2 clash saw the Burmese squad rack up just one kill against the 14 of the Philippines. 

However, Falcon Esports recovered in Game 3, outdrafting Team Liquid Echo with its Zhask, Tigreal, and Terizla picks that proved crucial as they avoided elimination with exp laner Arkar "RoyalMilk" Pyae showing the way with a 4/1/8 KDA while also limiting his counterpart Sanford "Sanfor" Vinuya (Paquito) to just one kill and one assist against four deaths. 

Team Liquid Echo, though, regained its winning ways with gold laner Benedict "Bennyqt" Gonzales unleashing five kills and three assists in Game 4 as the Philippine team sent Falcons Esports packing. 

—JKC, GMA Integrated News