Persija Jakarta secured a 2–1 comeback victory over Persik Kediri on Monday, October 26, 2026, at Jakarta International Stadium, maintaining their lead at the top of the Super League standings with 18 points after seven matches, while Persik stayed in ninth place with 10 points.

Persija Jakarta’s lineup included 23-Nadeo Argawinata in goal, alongside Ilham Rio Fahmi, Denis Kolinger, Rizky Ridho, Rayhan Hannan, Alexander Jeremejeff, and Ivan Mamut, among others. Persik Kediri deployed 33-Husna Al Malik as goalkeeper, with outfield players 3-Kiko Pereira, 55-Marcelo, 84-Park Jun-heong (replaced by 5-Jon Toral in the 75th minute), 22-Dzaki Asraf (replaced by 64th-minute substitute 68-Daffa Salman), 19-Kadek Rendy (replaced by 34th-minute substitute 14-Althaf Indie), 4-Imanol Garcia, 20-Eduardo Barbosa, 8-Zanadin Fariz, and 7-Ernesto Gomez (replaced by 46th-minute substitute 6-Bayu Otto, who was later replaced by 21-Jose Enrique in the 75th minute), and 9-Sergio Castel.

How Did Persija Overcome an Early Deficit Against Persik?

Persija Jakarta fell behind early when Persik Kediri capitalized in the 10th minute.

The home side struggled to find an equalizer through a tightly contested first half, with Ilham Rio Fahmi pushing a long-range effort wide in the 42nd minute before the visitors took a 1–0 lead into halftime. Head coach Shin Tae-yong turned to his bench after the break, introducing players such as Rizky Ridho and Kwon Chang-hoon at the start of the second half to reshape the lineup.

The tactical shift unlocked the match in a frantic two-minute window. In the 64th minute, Rayhan Hannan served a free kick that defender Denis Kolinger headed into the top right corner of the net to level the score at 1–1. Just two minutes later, Kolinger floated a long ball into the box for Rizky Ridho, who hammered home a right-footed shot to complete the turnaround.

Persik pushed hard for a late equalizer, forcing Nadeo into a scrambling save off an 89th-minute shot by Daffa Salman, but Persija held on to claim the three points.

Why Was Denis Kolinger Named Player of the Match?

Denis Kolinger earned the official player of the match honors following a dominant individual display in Jakarta. Beyond anchoring the backline through a tense second half, the Croatian central defender contributed directly to both of his team’s goals by scoring the equalizer and providing the assist for Ridho’s winner.

Speaking after the final whistle, Kolinger acknowledged that his side did not perform to their standards during the opening period.

Kolinger deflected individual praise toward his teammates, noting that the victory belonged to the entire squad. I think it was time for me to score. However, no matter who scores, I will be very happy, like the second goal scored by Ridho who has worked hard, he added, expressing gratitude to supporters who backed the team from the stands.

What Led to the Controversy Surrounding the Late Disallowed Goal?

Late drama unfolded deep into stoppage time when Persija thought they had extended their lead to 3–1. In the 90+5th minute, Ivan Mamut capped off a rapid counterattack by steering a pass from Kwon Chang-hoon into the goal.

The goal was disallowed because the referee deemed there was a previous foul in a Denying an Obvious Goal-Scoring Opportunity (DOGSO) situation. Following an eight-minute VAR review, the referee issued a yellow card to Kolinger and cancelled the third goal, before a final free-kick opportunity for Persik failed to yield an equalizer.

How Did Club Officials Respond to Pitch Conditions at Jakarta International Stadium?

The fixture also cast a spotlight on stadium infrastructure, as head coach Shin Tae-yong and captain Rizky Ridho voiced concerns over the quality of the pitch following the match. With Stadion Utama Gelora Bung Karno undergoing renovations until April 2027, Persija has played several home matches at other venues, including a match against Persib won 2-1 at Gelora Bung Karno, plus fixtures at Stadion Kapten I Wayan Dipta in Bali against Java United and Stadion Patriot Candrabhaga against Arema FC. Shin called for immediate improvements to the playing surface to better serve the fans and players.

PT Jakarta Propertindo Head of Strategic Business Unit Shinta Syamsul Arief stated that technical evaluations are ongoing to optimize pitch maintenance, implement turf nursery technologies, and ensure the surface recovers properly between heavy multi-use events.