SRG stuns Team Liquid in three-game M7 Swiss Stage classic

January 14 ------ AS if Team Liquid needed any more reminder on just how hard completing the so-called ‘Golden Road’ will be, the Selangor Red Giants just handed them a bitter one only four days into the tournament. The Cavalry’s qualification to the knockout stage will have to wait as they fell to the MPL Malaysia champions, 1-2, in a classic three-game affair between two global powerhouses on Day 4 of the M7 World Championship in Jakarta, Indonesia.

From the onset, it was certain that SRG coach Michael "Arcadia" Bocado had a few tricks up his sleeve, surprising Team Liquid by putting Sora on the gold lane in the hands of John "Innocent" Banal in Game 1. That almost paid off as Innocent pulled off a Savage, the first in the tournament, in the 10-minute top lane inhibitor defense to turn the tide and give SRG some breathing space after giving up the first Lord to Team Liquid.

Innocent became the third player in M-Series history to pull off such a feat, following Karl “KarlTzy” Nepomuceno’s Lancelot Savage in M2 versus 10s Gaming Frost and Anton "Hiko" Pak’s Beatrix Savage in M6 against CFU Gaming. But despite being caught off guard with the Sora pick on Innocent and the consequent Savage, Team Liquid held tough, with KarlTzy securing the next Lord objective before continuing their strategic siege on SRG.

The moment of truth arrived when Muhammad "Sekysss" Zaman on Lancelot fell while defending SRG’s bottom lane inhibitor; Team Liquid immediately pushed and ended the intense 18-minute Game 1. Kiel “Oheb” Soriano showcased his excellent marksmanship with Claude, finishing the match with an outstanding 5-2-7 KDA. SRG refused to back down in Game 2, capitalizing on the global vision advantage of Zetian and Yi Sun Shin to overwhelm Team Liquid. At the 14-minute mark, Team Liquid tried to steal the lord, but Sekysss on Yi Sun Shin turned the tide with a double kill, taking out both Oheb’s Karrie and Sanji’s Kimmy. Only Jaypee “Jaypee” Dela Cruz on Gatotkaca remained for Cavalry, and SRG saw this as the perfect opportunity to tear down Team Liquid’s defenses. Sekysss powered up SRG to tie the series 1-1 with a stellar 7-1-14 KDA.

In Game 3, SRG carried over its momentum into the early game, forcing Team Liquid onto the back foot with constant pressure, especially targeting Oheb’s Granger. During SRG’s 10-minute push on the midlane inhibitor turret, Jaypee stood firm on Hylos, landing a clutch Law and Order stun on Sekysss’s Hayabusa, allowing Sanford “Sanford” Vinuya’s Alice to secure the shutdown. Neither Team Liquid nor SRG was willing to surrender, resulting in a hard-fought, back-and-forth war with a spot in the Knockout Stage at stake. SRG struggled to put the game away, keeping fans on edge—but the turning point came when Muhammad “Yums” Suhairi’s Hilda slipped into the backline and shut down Oheb’s Granger during the crucial 24-minute Lord fight.

KarlTzy’s Lancelot delivered a crucial double kill at the 24-minute mark, but SRG capitalized on the opening to break Team Liquid’s formation and close out the series. Down to their final stand, Sanford and KarlTzy fought valiantly to protect Cavalry’s base, but Selangor Red Giants’ relentless pressure proved overwhelming. Hazziq "Stormie" Rizwan's presence on Yve was felt with a 2-3-13 KDA. With a 2-1 record in the Swiss Stage following a loss to SRG, Team Liquid now shifts their focus to their next opponent, which will be decided in the next group draw.

Source: spin.ph