Blacklist International survives 9-game play-ins to remain in MPL PH playoffs

MANILA, Philippines – Blacklist International is the last team standing after the Mobile Legends Professional League (MPL) Philippines Playoff Play-Ins, eliminating Minana EVOS (3-2) and Fnatic ONIC Philippines (3-1) to proceed to the league's upper bracket semifinals.

With MPL Philippines debuting the gauntlet format this season, the lower-seeded teams from the regular season competed in a single elimination play-ins to see who joins the top three teams in the upper bracket.

First on the chopping block were fifth- and sixth-seeded teams Blacklist International and Minana EVOS, respectively. A series that went to five games, it would eventually be the Codebreakers who would move on to the next match of the day with a 3-2 win as Minana EVOS bows out of the tournament at sixth place.

Having already played five intense games, Blacklist International had a lopsided start in its series against Fnatic ONIC Philippines, with the Yellow Hedgehogs taking a quick 15-minute Game 1. Blacklist International regained their momentum, however, after outlasting Fnatic ONIC Philippines in a 25-minute game to tie the series. 

Down to a best-of-three, the Codebreakers showcased their resilience by taking the next two games to eliminate Fnatic ONIC Philippines, 3-1, surviving a marathon of a day Z — playing nine consecutive games — to advance to the upper bracket semifinals.

The playoffs continue Thursday, May 23, at 4 p.m., with second- and third-seeded teams Team Liquid ECHO and RSG Philippines facing each other, followed by top seed Falcons AP Bren against play-in winners Blacklist International.