Rookies lead RSG PH to win vs. Iy4knu's former team ONIC PH

RSG Philippines

 by Drew Malihan

MANILA - It was a bittersweet revenge for RSG Philippines as Iy4knu and company ended his former team ONIC Philippines' four game winning streak in three games to begin Day 2 of MPL Philippines Season 8 Week 3.

The new collective, led by rookies Nathz and Demonkite get their task done with yet another 2-1 win after falling the last time against Nexplay Evos with the sweep.

Iy4knu, the former ONIC gold laner, was deployed back to the active roster, replacing Exort who played against Nexplay Evos, while ONIC continued their rotation, deploying Micophobia, Markyyyyy, and Ryota in lieu of Hatred, Beemo, and Dlarskie.

ONIC drafted a tank Mathilda to go with a support Grock, Lunox, Phoveus, and Hayabusa, while RSG PH went with a mid lane Beatrix and a gold lane Pharsa along with Popol and Kupa, Roger, and Thamuz.

RSG leads in the early game as Nathz has been able to counter Ryota's Phoveus with his Thamuz, getting three early kills in the process, with ONIC found it hard to answer RSG's early aggression.

With ONIC struggling, RSG continued their 3-1-1 rotation, with the two supports in Aqua and Heath and jungler Demonkite rotating regularly to take objectives and turrets in side lanes to take the economy games in their side.

With their backs against the wall and an exposed base, ONIC fought back in the 18th minute and wiped all but Nathz's Thamuz after a clash near the base went into ONIC's favor and pushing to the inhibitor turrets.

However, with a failed ONIC team fight in the 20th minute, it was doom for the yellow squad as RSG get kills one-by-one, getting the luminous lord, and pushing all the way to the base to a 1-0 win, with Nathz's Thamuz getting the MVP nod with 6/0/7 KDA.

RSG went to a double mage of Kagura and Pharsa with baxia, Thamuz, and Lancelot, while ONIC went for more sustain with Khufra, Esmeralda, Alice, Popol and Kupa, and Hayabusa.

ONIC started strong in the early to mid game, getting pokes and kills to RSG members with their passive-aggressive playstyle.

With the economy and objectives in their side, ONIC went to their "banana split" technique as they push all three turrets to choke RSG and make their map control smaller.

All ONIC heroes were tough enough in the mid game as RSG's damages did not convert as kills as they get all their defensive items in the ninth to 10th minute to engage in multiple chases in their favor.

With the luminous lord in ONIC side, they went to a potential GG push but RSG defended well, losing all but Markyyyy and Ryota.

Several fightbacks from RSG even their momentum in the late game despite having an exposed base in the 19th minute, even bringing down the gold lead to less than 3,000.

However, it was ONIC who stood out and forced the rubber match with Ryota's 6/0/3 KDA leading the way with his Esmeralda.

RSG went to a two mage combo with Alice and Kagura with a core Paquito and a support Rafaela, while ONIC went to a signature Markyyyyy Sun with fellow sustian heroes Grock and Esmeralda and a return of Granger.

Both teams started well in the early game as they take their objectives and trade kills for kills, with RSG getting the slight edge with two turtles to one.

However, a middle lane clash that costed Baloyskie's Pharsa, Kairi's Granger, and Markyyyyy's Sun prompted RSG to go for two turrets in the middle and the bottom lane.

A team clash near the lord pit costed two more ONIC heroes, leaving a free lord take to RSG as they eliminated Kairi and Baloyskie.

Markyyyyy attempted to make another signature split push and get a bottom lane turret but at the expense of his entire HP and the lord as well to turn the tide for RSG.

From there, it was all RSG as despite Ryota and Micophobia's fightback, it was former ONIC gold laner Iy4knu who spelled the end as he went for the GG push to give RSG the win, while Demonkite's 9/1/3 KDA was the game MVP with his aggressive execution.

RSG will try to continue their winning ways against Bren Esports on Sunday, while ONIC will face a tough task against Blacklist International on the same day.

Follow him on Twitter: @drewmalihan