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| Liquid PH and Aurora are the most likely to score first round byes in the MPL Philippines playoffs. MPL Philippines (file photo) |
MANILA--If there is one thing we can learn from Team Falcons Philippines completing a reverse sweep to steal the Sibol IESF qualifiers "championship" from archrival Team Liquid Philippines, it's that Falcons PH could be a thorn in Liquid PH and even Aurora's bid to seal the Top 2 seeds in the MPL Philippines Season 15 playoffs.
A first-round bye is much coveted because you get one extra day of rest in the postseason from May 28-June 1, and Liquid PH and Aurora are on track of getting the incentive before MPL PH went on a two-week break.
As the league resumes action later Friday, the task is simple for Liquid PH: win two of its next three matches to seal a Top 2 spot.
However, Liquid PH is on a bye week this weekend with only a Saturday night showdown against Onic Philippines in its schedule.
Good thing for Liquid PH, they just need to beat Onic PH to seal the Top 2 seed.
However, aside from keeping its Top 2 hopes alive, Onic PH also looks to get back at Liquid PH for eliminating them in the Sibol qualifiers.
At 7-3, Onic PH actually has an outright shot at stealing the top seed from both Liquid PH (10-1) and Aurora (9-1).
However, at this point, the reigning national and world champion needs to hope that all the remaining results would favor them, and it all begins by beating the current number one ranked team.
Interestingly enough, the Liquid PH match is the only tough assignment left for Onic PH as they would have AP Bren, Smart Omega, and Twisted Minds Philippines, all at the bottom of the standings, left.
Liquid PH, on the other hand, has TNC and Aurora as its Week 8 assignments, which on paper are tough.
Aurora, despite having a winnable opponent left in Smart Omega, also has tough matches ahead against Liquid PH, TNC, and Falcons PH right on the final match of the regular season on May 4.
Falcons PH (7-4) also has the Week 7 bye with only TNC as its opponent this weekend, but before they clash with Aurora, they will first battle AP Bren, which means they have some significant control of their Top 2 fate.
Considering that Liquid PH has the toughest assignment left, they could still slide to 10-4 at the worst, and if Aurora and Onic PH eventually finish with at least 11 wins each, Liquid could fall to the third seed.
Aurora, on the other hand, could finish as worse at 9-5, and this could also open the door for Onic PH and Falcons PH to move ahead of Aurora in the team standings.
Onic PH could go to as high as 11-3 as aforementioned and can even finish on top if Liquid PH and Aurora struggle in the end.
Falcons PH, on the other hand, could feasibly finish as the second seed if they sweep their last three matches and Aurora drops its last four.
Intriguingly enough, Falcons PH still has a backdoor shot at the top seed if they tie Liquid PH at 10-4, but Falcons PH must have at least two 2-0 wins assuming Liquid PH lose three straight 0-2 results to gain the tiebreaker.
The imperative, of course, is to get all three 2-0 wins for Falcons PH to gain more upper hand.
Needless to say, the Top 2 race could go down right to the last regular season match.
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