Team Falcons stay grounded yet fearless as playoff hopes hinge on final MPL PH showdown

With just one match left in the regular season and a narrow path toward a postseason appearance, Team Falcons’ assistant coach Mohammad “Moody” Samal remains confident that his squad still has what it takes to break into the MPL Philippines Season 16 playoffs.

In an exclusive interview with Tiebreaker Times, Moody shared that their recent resurgence — sparked by a win against the defending world champions — stemmed from a change in mindset, one that emphasized focusing on their own strengths rather than reacting to their opponents.

“Siguro similar lang kase nag-start ‘tong win streak namin sa mindset na wag kami masyadong mag-overthink sa picks and counters ng kalaban or pwede nilang possible draft. Parang mag-focus talaga kami sa amin,” Moody explained.

While the pressure is inevitable in do-or-die games, the former MDL coach stressed the importance of maintaining composure and sticking to the same “nothing to lose” mentality that has fueled their late-season stride.

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“Honestly para sa kanila, siyempre kahit sabihin nilang wala (pressure), deep down inside meron talaga kasi one match away to know kung makakapasok kami ng playoffs,” he admitted. 

“Pero ang trabaho namin as coaches is tanggalin yun, dapat same mindset pa rin sila coming into the game: nothing to lose, enjoy the game, and play how we play.”

Even with the odds stacked against them, Moody’s faith in his players has never wavered.

“Tulad ng sinabi ko last week, di ko sila susukuan hangga’t di sila sumusuko sa sarili nila. One hundred percent may chance pa rin talaga kami,” he said. 

With back-to-back wins boosting their confidence, Moody believes that their recent success has become the catalyst for their final regular-season push — and that his familiarity with Team Liquid, his former team, gives them an added advantage.

“Since nag 2-0 kami this week, mas dagdag pressure ‘to sa Team Liquid na mas kaya namin silang labanan,” he added.

“Siguro strength lang din na galing akong Team Liquid, I think mas familiar ako kung pano sila maglaro, so I think it’s going to be a good match.”

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