Persebaya Surabaya edged Persija Jakarta 1-0 in the Indonesian President Cup on 26 July 2026, thanks to a solitary first-half goal. The highly anticipated clash between two of Indonesia’s biggest clubs lived up to its billing, with Persebaya claiming bragging rights in front of a passionate home crowd.

Match Overview

The Indonesian President Cup pre-season tournament always provides fierce competition, and the meeting of Persebaya Surabaya and Persatuan Sepakbola Indonesia Jakarta (commonly known as Persija Jakarta) is one of the most heated rivalries in Southeast Asian football. Both sides fielded strong line-ups, but it was Persebaya who found the breakthrough and managed the game expertly.

Key Moments

• 34th minute: Persebaya Surabaya took the lead. A clever through ball from midfield maestro Rizky Ridho split the Persija defence, allowing striker Rivaldo Pakpahan to slot calmly past the goalkeeper.
• 60th minute: Persija thought they had equalised, but the goal was ruled out for a marginal offside after a VAR review (Indonesia’s President Cup uses preliminary VAR).
• 82nd minute: Persebaya goalkeeper Satria Tama made a crucial save from a header at point-blank range to preserve the lead.

Tactical Story

Persebaya set up in a compact 4-2-3-1, aiming to soak up pressure and hit on the counter. Persija dominated possession (63%) but struggled to break down a well-drilled defensive block. Persebaya’s double pivot of Adam Alis and Muhammad Hargianto shielded the back four effectively, restricting Persija to mostly long-range efforts. The winning goal came from a rare defensive lapse by Persija’s centre-backs.

Standout Players

• Rizky Ridho (Persebaya Surabaya) – Man of the Match: His vision and passing unlocked the Persija defence. He also made two key tackles in midfield.
• Satria Tama (Persebaya Surabaya): Made several important saves, including the vital stop late on.

Tournament Impact

The victory gives Persebaya a strong start in the President Cup group stage, boosting morale ahead of the new Liga 1 season. For Persija Jakarta, this defeat is a setback but not catastrophic—they still have time to recover in the group. The result reinforces Persebaya’s status as one of the tournament favourites.