ANOTHER DAY, another escape for Omega Esports’ lower bracket run as they faced Malaysia’s Orange Esports.
Initially, it seemed their hopes were fizzling out as the Malaysian squad managed to secure a 2-1 series lead.
But true to their reputation, Omega took the centerstage when the pressure came on, and reversed the tables with a 3-2 series win.
The series was defined by Garyy’s heroics for Orange Esports, but ultimately Omega’s draft proved to be the difference maker, most notably in the final two games.
Omega Esports dissected Orange Esports’ signature Fanny and Moskov combo
In their match against RSG PH, Orange deployed a Fanny and Moskov combo which initially stunned the Raiders, only for Dylan “Light” Catipon’s heroics to stomp them.
Once again, they tried the same tandem against Omega Esports. It followed the same script: an advantage at the early stages of the game, only for Omega to outsmart them at the latter stages.
Joshua “Ch4knu” Mangilog served as the bait in some clashes, which allowed Dean Christian “Raizen” Samagui to secure the Lord.
Then Orange tried to destroy Duane “Kelra” Pillas with their Fanny pick. However, Garyy wasn’t able to land the finishing blow with Kelra’s damage output, his mechanical skills, and the marshalling of his teammates.
It likewise didn’t help that Renz Errol “Renzio” Cadua was finding the right targets while Orange’s Aiman "Mann" Anuar and Aimin "Minn" Anuar couldn’t land their synergy, which ultimately gave the Filipino squad the Game 1 win.
Omega manages to bounce back
Over the next two games, Omega fell victim to Orange’s ability to trade alternatives. Plus, they fell against some late game heroics from Garyy and Minn in Game 2.
But in Game 4, Omega was able to read through Orange’s exchanges. Ch4knu’s Franco landed key hooks, creating space for Kelra and Patrick James “E2MAX” Caidic to burst down threats.
One major assault from Orange came from the Atlas as he served as a counter attacking threat that synergized well with Balmond.
But in the end, Omega had them down to rights and timed their engagements well, limiting their lethal combo.
And to further stomp their momentum, Omega unleashed their conceal plays to eliminate Born.
Overall, Orange had no choice but to suffer the consequences and witness a Filipino Savage from Kelra.
In the final do-or-die game for both teams, Omega capitalized on the hyper-creative lineup from their Malaysian counterparts. Their hero pool was too greedy, and it likewise didn’t help that the team lacked the damage to burst down key threats.
In the end it was a one-sided Omega affair, salvaging their lower bracket run.
With their win, Omega will now challenge Myanmar’s Falcon Esports, considered by many to be a major tournament dark horse. And in case they win that series, they’ll face the loser of the upper bracket finals match between RRQ and RSG PH.
Meanwhile, Orange Esports will pack their bags. The good news? The Malaysian team won't have too far to travel to get home.
Get more of the latest sports news & updates on SPIN.ph