Image Courtesy: Execration
With a 3-1 victory over Clutch Gamers, Execration became this year’s MPGL champions. After dropping to the lower bracket in a 1-2 loss against Clutch Gamers, Execration came back, first with a decisive 2-0 victory over Keen Gaming, then with a second chance against Clutch Gamers in the grand finals, they took the series 3-1, becoming the Champions of the MPGL 2018.
Here’s a rundown of how it all came down on the Final day of the MPGL: Grand Finals
The final day of the MPGL: Grandfinals began with the lower bracket finals between Keen Gaming and Execration. It was a bout between the former MPGL: South East Asian champions and a Chinese team who looked very strong in the DPC season.
Game 1:
In the best game of the day, Execration managed to take advantage of Keen Gaming’s drafts by leveraging their early and middle game advantage before Keen Gaming’s cores could gain any momentum. But with a fantastic Shadow Fiend, Keen Gaming was able to stabilize their lineup to buy time for Mevius’s Faceless Void. Kim0’s Warlock was able to rock-counter any Chronosphere initiation, while Karl’s Mirana created the tempo Execration needed through the midgame. A timely Blink+Ravage at Keen’s ancients netted a 4-0 fight in the Filipino team’s favor and sealed the win.
Game 2:
In the second game, Execration decided upon a Luna - Bloodseeker core-combo, while Keen Gaming got their hands on Ember Spirit and Death Prophet. Although the Chinese were controlling the early-mid game, a huge team fight at the 33-minute mark turned the tides and Execration made their way back into the game. Shortly after that, Keen Gaming lost two lanes of barracks and admitted their defeat around the 39-minute mark. Execration took the series 2-0.
What a way to retire from the scene Maut 
The Grand Finals at the MPGL did not disappoint. The first three games were a tug of war for control of the series. Execration got underway with a slow start, dropping the first game, but bounced back and commanded the series from then on out.
Although Game 1 went to Clutch Gamers, thanks to Gabbi’s spectacular Juggernaut performance, Execration bounced back to take the next three games in a row. Game 2 was the closest game of the series, stretching out to 38 minutes, the 2nd longest match of the series. Despite losing several objectives to Clutch Gamers' intimidating Teamfight-powered strat, Execration maintained their composure and turned the game around. It was now Grimzx’s turn to showcase his skills on the Tusk, and his phenomenal snowball dodge was the foundation on which Execration's victory was built on.
Execration individual play from that point was just a step above Clutch Gamers’. In Game 3, we witnessed an absolutely dominant performance from Karl's Lina who got off to a great start with multiple ganks on Clutch Gamer’s safelane. Sensing blood in the water Grimzx and Ewe, with brilliant smoke movement, took Gabbi’s Morphling out of the game with repeated ganks. Execration cruised to an easy Game 3 win and had their sights set on the final blow.
Karl once again exemplified his midlane skills on his Dragon Knight in the final game. Time and again he managed to isolate heroes from team fight to allow for the team to just focus down individual heroes without distractions. With Karl’s absurdly farmed DK, coupled with Nandos fed Lycan, Clutch Gamers had to concede defeat.