“I want to congratulate the whole team and all the players. Happy to get the win. This pertandingan yang sulit,” Luka Menalo said after the match.
Persib Bandung and Borneo FC Samarinda have officially been named as Indonesia’s two participating clubs in the 2026/2027 Shopee Cup, joining 12 other Southeast Asian teams in the expanded regional club championship, Disway Malang reported.
Group Stage Draw Pits Persib and Borneo FC Against Regional Heavyweights
The 14 competing clubs are divided evenly into two groups of seven for the tournament’s group stage. Borneo FC Samarinda lands in Group A alongside defending champions Buriram United FC and Ratchaburi FC from Thailand, Malaysia’s Kuching City FC, Singapore’s Tampines Rovers FC, Vietnam’s Ho Chi Minh City Police FC, and Manila Digger FC from the Philippines.
Meanwhile, Persib Bandung enters Group B, squaring off against Thailand’s Port FC, Malaysia’s Johor Darul Ta’zim FC, Lion City Sailors FC of Singapore, Công An Hà Nội FC from Vietnam, Preah Khan Reach Svay Rieng FC representing Cambodia, and Shan United FC of Myanmar. The top four teams from each group advance directly to the knockout rounds.
Persib Overcomes Port FC in Opening Group B Fixture
Persib opened its Group B campaign with a 3-1 comeback victory over Port FC at Thammasat Stadium in Pathum Thani, Thailand, on Thursday, October 8, 2026, according to match records from Persib. The Indonesian side fell behind in the 63rd minute when Jude Jacob Soonsup-Bell converted a penalty kick following a foul by Ikwan Ali Tanamal against Francisco Mendes inside the area.
:quality(80)/https://cdn-dam.kompas.id/images/2026/10/08/893dcdd0d5c352f048e89d7f80ed70f7-peralta_port_nando_1791467900049911536.jpg "Photo: Kompas.id")
Trailing deep into the second half, Persib engineered a late rally within a frantic nine-minute span. Mariano Peralta leveled the score at 1-1 in the 86th minute by slotting home a pass from Balsa Sekulic. Rosembergne “Berguinho” Da Silva then put the visitors ahead 2-1 in the 93rd minute before Luka Menalo sealed the 3-1 result with a header in the 95th minute off a cross from Peralta.
Tactical Adjustments and Player Recognition in Bangkok
Persib head coach Igor Tolic deployed Teja Paku Alam in goal, supported by a defensive line of Gabriel Mutombo, Patricio Matricardi, Julio Cesar, and Ikwan Ali Tanamal, with Marc Klok and Adam Alis anchoring the midfield. Following the opening goal, tactical substitutions—including the introductions of Dedi Kusnandar, Balsa Sekulic, and Kakang Rudianto—shifted the team’s defensive posture into a higher-pressing transitional attack.
Luka Menalo, who earned Player of the Match honors for his role in securing the victory, detailed the strategic shift to ILeague, noting that the team initially played a compact defensive block in the first half before applying heavy pressure after the break. Kompas.id noted that the victory adds to Persib’s international campaign momentum following an away win over FC Seoul in the AFC Champions League Two.
Related reading
)
