In a thrilling encounter at the JIS Stadium on Friday, February 20th, Persija Jakarta secured a narrow 2-1 victory over PSM Makassar in a captivating clash of the Super League 2025/26 season. The hard-fought win saw Persija collect crucial points in front of their home crowd.
Under the guidance of coach Mauricio Souza, Persija Jakarta lined up with a strong starting XI. The team featured the seasoned goalkeeper Andritany Ardhiyasa, a defensive backbone of Dony Tri, Thales Lira, and Jordi Amat. The midfield and attack were spearheaded by Bruno Tubarao, Aditya Warman, Fabio Calonego, Alaeddine Ajaraie, Maxwell Souza, Gustavo Almeida, and Allano Lima, all eager to make an impact.
On the opposing side, PSM Makassar, led by their own tactical approach, fielded a formidable squad for this Super League fixture. Their starting lineup included Reza Arya in goal, with Dusan Lagator, Soares Neto, Yuran Fernandez, and Daffa Salman anchoring the defense. The midfield and forward lines were comprised of Gledson Paixao, Ananda Rehan, Savio Roberto, Sheriddin Boboev, Alex Tank, and Rizky Eka, poised to challenge the hosts.
Persija Jakarta‘s persistent efforts to break the deadlock finally paid off as the match approached the 30-minute mark. It was Alaeddine Ajaraie who etched his name on the scoresheet, notching his debut goal with a clinical header right in front of the net, expertly assisted by the creative play of Allano De Lima.
However, PSM Makassar swiftly responded just seven minutes later, restoring parity to the scoreboard. A powerful strike from Rizky Eka was initially parried by Persija‘s goalkeeper Andritany Ardhiyasa, but the loose ball rebounded dangerously in front of goal, allowing Sheriddin Boboev to pounce and level the score with a decisive finish.
The second half began with renewed intensity, and Persija almost regained their advantage almost immediately. From a free-kick situation, defender Jordi Amat rose highest to win an aerial duel, unleashing a powerful header that was, unfortunately for the hosts, expertly tipped over the bar by the vigilant PSM goalkeeper.
Moments later, Persija thought they had found their second goal when Gustavo Almeida capitalized on a clear blunder by PSM‘s keeper Reza Arya, slotting the ball into the net. Yet, the celebration was short-lived as the referee disallowed the goal, judging that the ball had made contact with Almeida’s hand just before he struck it towards the target.
The decisive moment arrived in the 67th minute, and once again, Reza Arya was unfortunately at the center of the action. The PSM custodian misjudged a clearance, failing to kick the ball away cleanly. Seizing the opportunity, Maxwell Souza reacted quickest, heading the loose ball directly into the back of the net, sealing a hard-fought 2-1 victory for Persija Jakarta. This crucial goal proved to be the winner, ensuring all three points remained at JIS Stadium.
Summary
Persija Jakarta secured a narrow 2-1 victory against PSM Makassar in a Super League 2025/26 match held at JIS Stadium on February 20th. Alaeddine Ajaraie opened the scoring for Persija with a header, but PSM quickly responded through Sheriddin Boboev, who capitalized on a rebound.
In the second half, Persija had a goal by Gustavo Almeida disallowed due to a handball. The decisive winning goal came in the 67th minute when Maxwell Souza capitalized on a blunder by PSM goalkeeper Reza Arya, heading the loose ball into the net to seal the hard-fought 2-1 win for Persija Jakarta.