Cover-Credits:
The match against Nexplay EVOS and ECHO in the Mobile Legends: Bang Bang Professional League (MPL) Philippines (PH) Season 9 was one of the highly anticipated matches of the regular season. For Nexplay EVOS, winning the match was something personal since it lost its momentum when it was penalized for arriving late at the venue during the fourth week of the MPL PH Season 9, giving ECHO a win by default. When Nexplay EVOS finally got its much-awaited rematch against its rival in the eighth week, it got the revenge it wanted, improving the team’s morale heading to the MPL PH Season 9 playoffs stage.
Nexplay EVOS in high spirits after finally defeating ECHO in the regular season
Fan-favorites Nexplay EVOS proved itself to be a title contender in the tournament after winning four of its six matches in the first half of the regular season. However, due to unexpected circumstances, the team received a loss by default as a penalty which affected the team’s morale.
The team went on a losing streak which risked its chances of securing a playoffs spot. Fortunately, Omega Esports managed to secure a 2-0 victory against Blacklist International which placed Nexplay EVOS in sixth place, helping the team hang on to its playoffs dream.
In a post-match interview, the team’s coach Setsuna “Akosi Dogie” Ignacio revealed that the match against ECHO was something personal as they couldn’t settle the score earlier due to the penalty.
“That’s where all the bad luck started, basically, we couldn’t move on after the incident. You’ve seen Zico cry, Hesa, almost all of us were down that time to the point they lost their desire to win in scrim sessions. They don’t talk much, the conversations were always ‘what if we fought ECHO that time?’,” the Nexplay EVOS coach said.
When the team finally got a second chance to face ECHO, the team went all out and dominated the match with a solid 2-0 victory against one of the top-performing teams in the tournament.
The rivalry between Nexplay EVOS and ECHO stretches far back when Nexplay’s roamer Tristan “Yawi” Cabrera moved to ECHO. While the team remained friendly behind the scenes, both teams were eager to test how much they have improved since last season.
The exact schedule for the MPL PH Season 9 playoffs is yet to be revealed. With the defending champions, Blacklist International, eliminated from the tournament, a new team shall take the championship title this season.
Keep up with the live scores, schedule, stream links, and more with AFK Gaming's hub for the MPL PH Season 9.
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