Madura United defeated Persib Bandung 1-0 in a Super League fixture at Gelora Madura Ratu Pamelingan Stadium in Pamekasan on Thursday, October 22, 2026, CNN Indonesia reported. Dimitar Mitkov scored the match’s only goal in the 89th minute to secure the three points for the hosts.
Dimitar Mitkov Breaks Late Deadlock in Pamekasan
The decisive moment arrived in the final minute of regular time when Dimitar Mitkov seized on a loose ball inside the penalty area. Dimitar Mitkov scored the opening goal past Persib goalkeeper Teja Paku Alam, breaking a stubborn stalemate near the end of the match. The strike lifted Madura United to 13 points from six matches, vaulting the club into third place in the Super League standings ahead of Bali United, Kompas noted. For Persib Bandung, the defeat leaves the defending champions with 10 points, sitting in eighth place in the table behind Bhayangkara Presisi Lampung FC and Persik Kediri on goal difference.
Angga Saputro Halts Persib Attack Throughout Match
Persib Bandung controlled large stretches of the match and pressed the home defense from the opening whistle, creating numerous scoring opportunities that went unrewarded. In the 11th minute, Adam Alis tested Madura United goalkeeper Angga Saputro with a powerful strike, but the custodian gathered the ball cleanly. Julio Cesar came close for the visitors in the 19th minute, steering a header from a Thom Haye corner kick just over the crossbar. As the second half unfolded, the pressure intensified when Sandy Walsh directed a close-range header toward goal in the 71st minute, only for Angga Saputro to pull off a brilliant reaction save. Ullian Barros later carved out space inside the box in the 86th minute, firing a low effort that the Madura United goalkeeper blocked with his feet to preserve the clean sheet.
Mitkov Converts Counter-Attack to Secure Victory
Madura United absorbed the visitor’s sustained pressure and relied on disciplined defending and swift counter-attacks. Hugo Gomes threatened the Persib goal twice in the first half, first orchestrating danger in the 37th minute to win a corner and then driving a left-footed long-range effort wide of the target. After weathering the second-half storm led by Thom Haye and Marc Klok in the Persib midfield, Ze Gomes’ side capitalized when the visitors pushed numbers forward late in the game. The sudden transition caught the visiting backline out of position, allowing Mitkov to convert the game-winning chance from close range. Following the final whistle, Madura United head coach Ze Gomes expressed relief and satisfaction with his squad’s resilience against difficult opponents, acknowledging the heavy pressure Persib applied throughout the contest.
Madura United Trails League Leaders After Win
The 1-0 victory halts a two-match winless run for Madura United, who had previously drawn 3-3 with Bhayangkara Presisi Lampung FC on October 16 and suffered a defeat against Persik Kediri on October 9. The Laskar Sape Kerrab squad now trails league leaders Persija Jakarta by two points in the early-season table. Madura United will return to action on Monday, October 26, 2026, traveling to face Persebaya Surabaya in the regional Derby Suramadu at Gelora Bung Tomo Stadium.
Match Lineups
Madura United deployed Angga Saputro in goal, supported by a backline of Giovani Numberi, Pedro Monteiro, Jorge Mendonca, and Taufik Hidayat. Hugo Gomes partnered with Ilham Syah and Juan Santacruz in midfield, while Lulinha, Dimitar Mitkov, and Gali Freitas led the attack. Persib Bandung countered with Teja Paku Alam as goalkeeper behind defenders Kakang Rudianto, Julio Cesar, Patricio Matricardi, and Eliano Reijnders. Marc Klok, Thom Haye, and Adam Alis formed the visiting midfield, with Berguinho, Luka Menalo, and Balsa Sekulic rounding out the starting lineup.
Worth a look
