IN its quest for a golden comeback, SIBOL Women MLBB exorcised an old ghost along the way.
The Philippines booked a spot in the gold medal match after defeating Indonesia, 3-1, in the 2025 Southeast Asian Games MLBB Women’s semifinals – beating the same country which denied the nation’s hopes of a double-gold medal in the previous edition of the games in Cambodia.
Now SIBOL Women turn their attention to their biggest ghost yet – reclaiming the gold medal, with the memories of losing 3-2 in the gold medal match back in 2023 still lingering.
Waiting for them in the finale is another regional powerhouse in Malaysia, with their tussle set at 4 PM this Wednesday.
Revenge so sweet for SIBOL Women
Indonesia tried to counter the Philippines’ sustain-oriented draft with a last-pick Karrie in Game 1, yet it proved insufficient to seize control of the match.
The Indonesian representatives showed gritty defense and dragged Game 1 to 18 minutes, and it almost wiped out the low-HP Filipina team in SIBOL’s last siege.
Thankfully for the Filipinas, the minion wave proved sturdy enough to finish the job as Indonesia’s base fell right in time for SIBOL.
Rica “Amoree” Amores (PHI. Amores) made her presence felt in the middle lane with a perfect 5-0-3 KDA.
Game 2 saw an intense showdown between the two countries that lasted a grueling 21 minutes, but it was the Filipinas that got the match point to move closer to making another gold medal match appearance.
Indonesia imposed a huge threat to the Philippines by putting pressure on gold laner Clarisse “CLA” Cordova (PHI. Cordova), playing as Bruno, with a draft that can easily dive to the backlines like Esmeralda, Lapu-Lapu, Grock, and Joy.
The Philippines leaned on disciplined counter plays, punishing Indonesia’s mistakes to shift the momentum in their favor.
Gwyneth “Ayanami” Diagon (PHI. Diagon) on Yu Zhong took down INA. Chen’s Joy in an 18-minute midlane run down, but INA. CS1SWANTO’s Angela answered back with a double kill on the opposite stretch of the lane before Diagon and Mery “Meraaay” Vivero (PHI. Vivero) went in for the cleanup.
The Filipina squad closed out an action-packed Game 2 with the Lord on their side, as PHI. Diagon’s stellar 6-1-9 KDA propelled the Philippines to a 2-0 match point.
In Game 3, the Philippines initially had the momentum by not conceding any deaths until the 8-minute clash at the bottom lane.
Indonesia refused to back down and shifted the momentum towards its side by securing the 12-minute Lord objective.
Another nail-biter played out, but Indonesia seized the decisive moment when INA. INDRAWATY’s Gatotkaca took out Kaye “Keishi” Alpuerto (PHI. Alpuerto) on Hanzo solo, paving the way for a full run down against the Filipina side.
INA. INDRAWATY became Indonesia’s saving grace with a 3-2-8 KDA, extending the semifinals match at 2-1 but that proved to be their last stand, cause in Game 4, the Pinays would finish the job.
During the tense 19-minute Lord dance, a team fight erupted, and thanks to kills from PHI. Alpuerto on Joy and PHI. Amores on Selena, three Indonesians fell — as the Philippines ignored the Lord objective altogether to push forward for the game-clinching siege.
Philippines vs. Malaysia for MLBB's regional supremacy
With SIBOL Women advancing to the gold medal match to take on Malaysia, MLBB supremacy in this edition of the SEA Games will ultimately boil down between two countries – the Philippines and Malaysia.
READ: SIBOL Men inch closer to SEAG MLBB four-peat by beating Indonesia
SIBOL Men, parading an all-Team Liquid Philippines side alongside Twisted Minds’ Caloy, will also take on Malaysia for the gold medal on Wednesday, 11 AM.
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