Persija Falls, Arema Has the Opportunity to Uncover the Weaknesses of the Macan Kemayoran

Persija Jakarta finally suffered their first defeat in the BRI Super League 2026/2027 season after falling 2-3 to Persita Tangerang in matchweek 5 at the Banten International Stadium, Serang, Saturday (17/10/2026). Despite dropping points, Macan Kemayoran still sits top of the Standings with 12 points, one point clear of Dewa United and Persita. 

This result serves as a warning for Persija ahead of their home fixture against Arema FC on Wednesday (21/10/2026), 19.00 WIB at Patriot Candrabhaga Stadium, Bekasi. Persija require a victory to hold on to first place, while Arema are also chasing points to retain their spot in the top 10. 

Persija's defeat and the upcoming challenge against Arema will be the topic of discussion on Itsme Podcast featuring Football Analyst Ronny Pangemanan and Firzie Idris, hosted by Raisha and Gilang Respaty.

Persita's Transition Play Serves As A Warning

Ronny Pangemanan assessed that Persija should have been able to win this match. However, football always throws up unexpected outcomes. This defeat also gives rival teams the opportunity to close the gap at the top of the table.

Firzie Idris highlighted Persita's excellent execution of transition play. The home side took the lead through Claudio Lucas Morais in the 5th minute, before Fabio Calonego equalised for Persija in the 18th minute.

Persita regained their lead with two goals from Rayco Rodriguez in the 61st and 68th minutes. Persija pulled one back via a penalty from Alexander Jeremejeff in the 74th minute. However, Aleksa Andrejic's stoppage time goal sealed a 3-2 victory for Persita. 

During the podcast discussion, Persija's attacking aggression was noted as one area requiring evaluation. When committing more players forward to chase goals, gaps open up at the back which opponents can exploit with counter attacks.

Persija need to improve the balance between attack and defence. Ball possession and attacking intensity are not enough if the team fails to anticipate opposition transition moves.

Arema Can Learn From Persita

Next up is the challenge against Arema FC, who are coming off a 1-3 defeat against Garudayaksa FC. Arema currently sit in 10th place with six points, needing a positive result to hold on to their mid-table position. 

Ronny Pangemanan believes Persita's victory can serve as a blueprint for Arema. This result showed that Persija still have exploitable weaknesses, particularly when they overcommit forward and leave space at the back.

While Arema have the chance to capitalise on this flaw, they must also fix their own defensive issues. Meanwhile, Shin Tae-yong is tasked with ensuring this defeat against Persita becomes a learning evaluation point, not the start of a drop in consistent form.

Persija remain top of the standings for now, but the title race is tightening. Dropping any further points will only increase pressure from chasing rivals. Conversely, a win over Arema will be a vital momentum boost for Macan Kemayoran to solidify their position in the Super League 2026/2027 title chase.