MPL PH: Team Liquid PH routs TNC to stay in hunt for upper bracket slot 

The defending kings of Mobile Legends: Bang Bang made their presence felt once again. Team Liquid PH reaffirmed their title defense with a dominant 2-0 sweep of TNC Pro Team in Week 5 of the MPL Philippines on Sunday at the Green Sun Hotel in Makati City.

The win pushed TLPH to a 6-3 standing — their fifth victory in their last six outings — putting them within striking distance of Aurora (7-1) and ONIC Philippines (6-2) in the race for the two coveted outright upper bracket playoff slots. 

For TNC, the setback was a costly one, dropping them to 3-6 and further complicating their postseason hopes.

From the opening game, the reigning champions looked locked in. Karl “KarlTzy” Nepomuceno reminded everyone why he remains one of the most feared junglers in the league. 

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Team Liquid PH sweeps TNC, keeps #SmartMPL PH UB hopes alive#ReadMore https://t.co/20Js8mk73A#LetsGoLiquid #LakasNgPinas pic.twitter.com/H7woCZ84u1

— Tiebreaker Times (@tiebreakertimes) September 21, 2025

His precise execution on Lancelot powered an 11-minute masterclass, finishing with a clean 2-0-9 KDA and dictating the tempo in every rotation. The swift rout set the tone for what would be a short night for TNC.

Game 2 saw Team Liquid PH bring out a new wrinkle in their draft. Jaypee “Jaypee” Dela Cruz debuted his Novaria roam, providing constant vision and mid-game pressure. That flexibility allowed the rest of the squad to thrive, particularly Kiel “Oheb” Soriano, whose Granger double kill in the 5th minute blew the contest wide open.

Sanford “Sanford” Vinuya was relentless on Lapu-Lapu, diving deep into TNC’s backline and dismantling their formations. With Sanford’s initiations and KarlTzy’s clean-up, Liquid dictated every objective fight, closing out the series in just 14 minutes.

The victory underscored not only Liquid’s strong mid-season form but also their ability to adapt with fresh strategies. Their balance of veteran poise and aggressive playmaking has allowed them to surge back into contention after a rocky start to the season.

Up next, TLPH will face their sternest test yet — a rematch against league-leading Aurora on Friday, September 26. The champions will be hungry for payback after suffering an early-season loss, and a win could catapult them into the top two, keeping their upper bracket dreams very much alive.

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