Persib Bandung secured a narrow 1-0 victory over Persija Jakarta in week 17 of the Super League 2025/2026 at Stadion GBLA in Bandung on Sunday, January 11, 2026. Beckham Putra's goal in the fifth minute proved decisive, while Bruno Tubarao's red card in the 53rd minute worsened Persija's situation. The win confirmed Persib as half-season champions with 38 points.
The heated clash between Persib Bandung and Persija Jakarta at Stadion Gelora Bandung Lautan Api (GBLA) ended with a 1-0 home win on Sunday, January 11, 2026. Beckham Putra opened the scoring in the fifth minute, capitalizing on a cross from Berguinho following an anticipation error by Bruno Tubarao. Persija pushed to equalize in the first half, but their chances went unconverted.
Entering the second half, Persija's task grew tougher when Tubarao received a straight red card from the referee in the 53rd minute. The incident occurred after Tubarao stepped on the foot of the prone Beckham Putra, following his initial foul. Persija coach Mauricio Souza acknowledged the referee's decision was correct, calling Tubarao's attitude immature. "Tadi attitude dari Tubarao, itu attitude tidak dewasa. Dan dia pantas itu dikartu merah," Souza said.
Souza also criticized the low-quality match due to frequent fouls and interruptions, disrupting the flow. He highlighted the second half's added time of only four minutes as inadequate for the lost time. "Pertandingan banyak berhenti dan kita tidak melihat tim dengan bola," he noted. Nevertheless, Souza attributed the loss to two individual errors against Persib's solid defense, which has conceded just 11 goals in 17 matches.
Persija captain Rizky Ridho showed sportsmanship by congratulating Persib and looking forward to the return leg in Jakarta on May 10. "Saya mau mengucapkan selamat kepada Persib Bandung meraih tiga poin. Terima kasih untuk sambutannya dan kami tunggu di Jakarta," Ridho said.
For Persib, coach Bojan Hodak defended Beckham's 'ice cold' celebration as iconic and non-provocative without away fans present. Beckham affirmed, "Ini sudah jadi ikonik buat saya, jadi saya pikir ini hal yang normal." However, a dark note emerged when Persib's Thom Haye received death threats post-match. Haye called for a better football environment: "Sepak bola seharusnya tidak pernah sampai sejauh itu. Mari kita bangun lingkungan sepak bola yang lebih baik bersama-sama."
The victory propelled Persib to the top of the standings with 38 points, followed by Borneo FC (37 points) and Persija (35 points). This red card marked Persija's sixth of the season, spotlighting the Macan Kemayoran's discipline issues.
