Bren stuns Echo as MPL PH begins second half

MANILA, Philippines — Eighth-ranked Bren Esports stunned top-seeded Echo, 2-0, as the Mobile Legends Professional League Philippines (MPL PH) Season 9 began the second half of the regular season.

Bren dominated Game One, 19-11, in just under 17 minutes. Game Two saw Echo try to push for a decider but Bren held them off and took the lord, sweeping the latter and pulling off the biggest upset of the season so far.

Echo was able to bounce back as they swept Smart Omega, 2-0, while second-ranked TNC also defeated the Smart-backed squad, 2-1.

Trailing the leaderboard, defending champs Blacklist International failed to score another win as they succumb to both Onic PH and TNC, 1-2m while Nexplay EVOS dropped to rank number five after RSG swept them, 0-2 while they were thwarted by Onic, 1-2.

At the conclusion of week five, Echo is still at the top of the leaderboard with 21 points from seven wins and two losses. TNC trails behind with 19 points while RSG sits at 16 points.

Onic overtook Nexplay EVOS for fourth at 15 points while Blacklist, though still standing at 1 win and 8 loses, rose to number 6 with 9 points having at least won a game in most of their match-ups, keeping them ahead of Smart Omega and Bren Esports in the rankings.

Week Six will begin on Friday, March 25, with Bren Esports hoping to mount a winning streak against RSG PH, while Blacklist International will face off against Nexplay EVOS.