Team Falcons Outlast Aurora in MPL Philippines Season 18’s Longest Game

Second-seeded Team Falcons PH fended off a gritty Aurora Gaming PH to secure a thrilling 2-1 victory in the Week 4 Sunday Star Match of MPL Philippines Season 18 at Victoria Sports Tower.

There was no better way to close out the first half of the regular season than with a thriller, as Team Falcons PH once again lived up to its “Streak Breakers” reputation by denying Aurora its fourth straight match win.

With neither squad willing to back down in the series’ climax, Game 3 lasted 39 minutes and 37 seconds, setting the record for the longest game of the season.

In Game 1, Team Falcons dismantled Aurora Gaming quickly after securing all Turtle objectives and racking up a massive 15-1 kill lead, powered by Owgwen’s double kill on Carmilla during a seven-minute mid-lane skirmish.

The Green Falcons sealed the first win of the series in just 10 minutes when Hadji’s Selena landed an Abyssal Arrow on Light’s Belerick, while Owgwen’s Carmilla caught three Aurora members with Curse of Blood during the final base siege.

The Game 1 MVP was none other than Owgwen with a flawless 6-0-8 KDA and a 93% kill participation.

Aurora Gaming refused to back down in Game 2 despite Team Falcons holding a 2-0 kill lead, turning the momentum around after Domeng’s Moskov narrowly escaped a Falcons ambush in the top lane past the 9-minute mark before Yue’s Valentina answered back by eliminating Kyle’s Hirara.

Aurora seized control after Koyl’s Nolan secured the 13-minute Lord, giving them a 4-vs-3 advantage that helped them tie the series at 1-1.

Domeng earned the Game 2 MVP with a spotless 1-0-3 KDA and 100% kill participation.

Game 3 went down to the wire in a grueling, nearly 40-minute battle between Aurora and Falcons. The decisive clash erupted near the 38-minute Lord objective, where Owgwen’s Belerick and Flap’s Minotaur combined their crowd-control abilities to pick off Koyl’s Hirara, Domeng’s Moskov, and Nathzz’s Sora.

With only Yue’s Rafaela and Light’s Gatotkaca left standing, the fully intact Falcons lineup ultimately secured the victory.

A total of seven Lord objectives were taken across the 39-minute Game 3.

Team Falcons PH will look to extend its four-match winning streak when it takes on Twisted Minds in Week 5.