SEA Games: Sibol rules Mobile Legends for PH’s first esports gold

FILE – Team Philippines competes in the esports event of the 2019 Southeast Asian Games in Filoil Flying V Arena in San Juan. INQUIRER PHOTO/ JAM STA ROSA

MANILA, Philippines–Sibol-Philippines slipped past Indonesia, 3-2, in Mobile Legends: Bang Bang on Sunday night at Filoil Flying V Centre in San Juan, giving the host its first-ever gold medal in esports’ landmark staging in the Southeast Asian Games.

Sibol drew first blood in the race-to-three duel before holding off the visitors, whose team is filled with world champions, but soon found itself trailing a game after a fiesty comeback by Indonesia.

But the Sibol squad, comprised of Angelo, Arcangel, Karl Nepomuceno, Kenneth Villa, Carlito Ribo Jr., Jason Torculas, Jeniel Bata-Anon, and Allan Castromayor, held on for the gold.

Sibol’s DOTA II and Starcraft II bets take their shot at gold on Monday.