Four games, one strategy, zero leaks.
Team Liquid PH flaunted masterful map control to dismantle Aurora Gaming with a 4-0 whitewash, securing the MPL S16 Grand Finals title inside the Cuneta Astrodome, October 26.
Liquid placed macro on premium by fully relying on its strategic objective rotations in Game 1 (21-6), Game 2 (20-8), and Game 3 (13-2), complementing it by converting Aurora’s misalignments to kills.
However, Game 4 (8-6) served as the thorn that risked staining the clean slate.
Liquid strayed away from its precision with a gamble, retaliating to RORA stealing two late Lord objectives in a row with Alston "Sanji" Pabico’s clutch Luo Yi teleport to the pushed base in the bottom lane.
This plan served as a necessary sacrifice to keep the record unblemished and book the whole team’s ticket to the M7 Worlds.[a][b]
“Kinuha na ng kalaban iyong Lord. Hindi na kami pwede mag out. Papalag na kami,” said Pabico.
“Nakita namin ulit 'yong creeps nakapush kaya sinigawan ko lang yung mga kakampi sumabay sa’kin,” he added, describing his follow up of Finals MVP awardee Jaypee "Jaypee" Dela Cruz’s crucial bot lane push just before the second stolen Lord.
Jaypee served as Liquid’s beating heart during the last three matches of the series with his three consecutive MVPs as Hilda (Game 2 - 55.5% Kill Participation, Game 3 - 62.5% KP) and Gatotkaca (Game 3 - 85% KP).
Moreover, Dela Cruz also kept his undefeated finals record clean throughout his five MPL PH and his MSC × EWC 2025 finals appearances—attributing it to well-executed practice strategies in the tourney.
“Siguro mas naging sanay [kami] sa mga practice namin kasi yung mga match po namin sa ibang game hindi masyadong perfect, said Jaypee.
“Kung ano yung error namin dun, nakikita namin ngayon [sa series] so nagawa na namin nang maayos.”
TLPH eyes to cement a six-peat throne defense with its M7 World Championship ticket at Jakarta, Indonesia from January 3 to January 25, 2026.
via Jostle Doen Pilayre
