PUTRAJAYA: Malaysia's main hope at the Mobile Legends: Bang Bang M6 World Championship, Selangor Red Giants (SRG), suffered a stunning defeat in their opening match at the IOI Grand Exhibition and Convention Centre today.
The tournament favourites were upstaged by Turkish champions, S2G, in the Swiss stage.
In the best of one format, S2G took early control, leading 7-4 in kills by the eighth minute mark. SRG bounced back to lead 8-7 and looked to have momentum on their side.
However, SRG's small mistakes ultimately cost them the match as the Turkiye team pushed into their base and destroyed the Mid Season champions' crystal to end the game.
SRG analyst Poon "OzoraVeki" Kok Sing said the Malaysian team's small mistakes and "getting overhyped" led to their downfall.
"We had the game in our pocket and we should have finished S2G off.
"This is the first time our team were playing in an M Series World Championships, maybe the players got overhyped and lost discipline in the late game.
It was a lapse of concentration and getting too excited to end the game."
He added that losing discipline in the late game is out of character for SRG.
"We threw away a game-ending lead today, this is not part of our identity. We will focus on that in the next match.
"This defeat is a wake-up call, when you are on a roll, you tend to forget the basics of the game."
SRG have two more "lives" left to qualify for the knockout rounds. They will find out their next opponents in a draw later today.
S2G coach Ren Paolo "Pao" Villanueva said they knew the chance to win the game was 50-50 because of the best of one format.
"We just kept staying together. I knew the storm was coming, so I told them that when it comes just stay calm and wait for the moment.
"We did our homework and I have the experience of coaching in Malaysia as well, so I know their playing style," said the Filipino who coached Team SMG last year.