Persib Fierce in Asia, Bung Ropan Surprised by Their Performance in the Super League

Persib Bandung have once again demonstrated their quality on the Asian stage after securing a 2-0 victory over Melbourne Victory in the third Group E fixture of the AFC Champions League Two (ACL Two) 2026/2027, held at Si Jalak Harupat Stadium, Bandung Regency on Wednesday, 28 October 2026.

However, this impressive display from Maung Bandung has instead raised questions over the team's inconsistent form in domestic competitions.

Football Analyst Ronny Pangemanan, publicly known as Bung Ropan, assessed that Persib delivered an excellent performance against the Australian side. He noted effective ball circulation between players, noticeably improved distribution play from Thom Haye, and a far more convincing organised game structure under head coach Igor Tolic.

“Persib played really well. Their ball movement was solid, Thom Haye executed effective long crosses. I can't help but wonder if Persib are prioritising their ACL Two campaign, or if there is another factor at play,” Ropan stated during discussion on the ITSMe podcast.

This question arises due to the clear performance gap between Persib's continental form and their run in the domestic Super League. In the national league, Persib have struggled with inconsistency, including a defeat against Madura United and a draw against Dewa United.

In stark contrast, Persib have secured maximum points from their first three Group E ACL Two matches. Following 1-0 wins over FC Seoul and The Cong-Viettel FC, the club shut out Melbourne Victory 2-0. This means Maung Bandung have now scored four goals and remain yet to concede a single goal in the tournament.

For Ropan, this record proves Persib are capable of maintaining disciplined, focused play when facing clubs from nations with highly competitive domestic football systems.

The 3-5-2 Formation And Igor Tolic's Patient Gameplan

Football Analyst Kesit Budi Handoyo also highlighted Igor Tolic's decision to deploy a 3-5-2 formation. This tactical choice stood out, as Persib had previously almost exclusively lined up with either a three-forward system or a standard four-defender setup.

Persib avoided reckless direct attacking play. Throughout the first half, the side operated cautiously, reading the opposition's patterns and maintaining tight balance across all lines. After the half time break, they shifted into more effective attacking play, and successfully converted created chances into goals.

The decision to start Adam Alis was also identified as a correct tactical call. Alongside Gakuto Notsuda, Alis effectively neutralised Melbourne Victory's midfield movement, cutting off supply lines to the visiting side's forward players.

At the back, Persib maintained strict positional discipline and tight marking of opposition players. An assured performance from Goalkeeper Fitrah Maulana also played a key part in keeping a clean sheet.

Balsa Sekulic Proves The Difference Maker

The call to start Balsa Sekulic paid off handsomely. The Montenegrin striker scored both goals for Persib, finding the net in the 47th and 67th minutes respectively. Meanwhile, highly rated attacker Mariano Peralta was kept as an option from the substitute bench.

Persib also retain additional attacking options to bolster their offensive threat, including Luka Menalo, Ragnar Oratmangoen and Beckham Putra.

Despite the perfect run so far, Ropan warned that upcoming challenges will be far from easy. Persib will travel to face Melbourne Victory on Australian soil on 4 November 2026, with the home side widely expected to come out fighting following their defeat in Bandung.

“Every single club in the domestic league wants to beat Persib, it is considered a huge achievement and point of pride for any side,” was one key point raised during the discussion.

Ropan stressed that Persib must maintain the same discipline, composure and clinical efficiency that they displayed against Melbourne Victory. Picking up points on the away leg in Australia will drastically improve Maung Bandung's chances of securing qualification for the Round of 16 of ACL Two.

This analysis was discussed live on the ITSMe Podcast in Sentul, Bogor on 29 October 2026, featuring guests Ronny Pangemanan and Kesit Budi Handoyo, hosted by Gilang Respaty and Pudila.