5 Facts About the Opening of the BRI Super League: PSIM's Historic Victory to PSM's Youngest Squad

The BRI Super League competition for 2025-2026 has commenced on Friday (8/8/2025). Three matches involving the trio of promoted teams took place with varied results.

PSIM Yogyakarta, the champion of Liga 2 Indonesia 2024-2025, achieved a dramatic victory at the home of Persebaya Surabaya, Gelora Bung Tomo Stadium, Surabaya, East Java. Persijap Jepara brought home one point from Gelora BJ Habibie Stadium, Parepare, South Sulawesi, through a goal in the second half's injury time.

Meanwhile, Bhayangkara FC's efforts to secure a point against Borneo FC at Segiri Stadium in Samarinda, East Kalimantan, ended in failure. Borneo winger Mariano Peralta delivered a poor start to the Guardians' comeback season in the national top flight.

Here are five interesting facts about the first three matches of the 2025-2026 Super League:

The solitary goal from winger Ezequiel Vidal, via a header in the 90+2 minute, was met with jubilant cheers from the entire community of Yogyakarta beneath the sky. PSIM returned home with a 1-0 advantage over Persebaya in their inaugural season in Indonesia's top competition since 2007.

Not merely signifying three points in the opening week of this season's Super League, Vidal helped "Laskar Mataram" secure their first victory in the opening week of Indonesia's top-tier league since the era of Liga Indonesia in 1994-1995.

Of course, we are very happy to win in the first game. I think this result can serve as a standard for us every week.

In five previous occasions playing in Indonesia's top-tier competition since the unification of Perserikatan and Galatama in 1994, PSIM has always failed to win in the first game. This occurred when they lost to ASGS in 1996-1997, drew with Persikab Bandung in 1998-1999, ended in a tie with Persebaya in 1999-2000, drew against Persija Jepara in 2006, and were defeated by Persijap Jepara in 2007.

PSIM also secured their first away victory in the opening match of the Indonesian top league. Indeed, the victory over Persebaya serves as a very good capital for PSIM's adventure in the Super League 2025-2026.

"Of course, we are very happy to win in the first game. I think this result can serve as a standard for us every week," said PSIM Coach Jean-Paul van Gastel at the press conference following the match against Persebaya.

PSIM was also able to end the curse against Persebaya. Since competing in the Indonesian League 1996-1997, Laskar Mataram had never recorded a victory when visiting Surabaya.

The last time PSIM was able to defeat Persebaya in the "City of Heroes" was on February 5, 1994, during the 14th week of the 1993-1994 Perserikatan. At that time, PSIM triumphed over "Bajul Ijo" with a final score of 3-2.

This means that Ze Valente and his teammates were able to end a 31-year curse during their visit to the home ground of Persebaya. Interestingly, PSIM has also recorded victories at both of Persebaya's home stadiums, namely the 10 November Stadium and Gelora Bung Tomo.

For Persebaya, PSIM is the first team to defeat them at home in the opening match since their return to the top-tier competition in Liga 1 2018. Bajul Ijo has consistently been able to start the league with a victory at home for two consecutive seasons, 2023-2024 and 2024-2025.

An emotional celebration by Persijap Jepara striker, Carlos Franca, in the 90+9 minute helped his team avoid defeat against PSM Makassar. Persijap held "Juku Eja" to a 1-1 draw.

Through a scramble in front of the goal that began with a corner kick, Persijap secured their first point in the 2025-2026 Super League. This valuable point also fosters confidence to compete in the highest tier of competition in the country.

Franca ended Persijap's wait to score a goal in the top league after 4,012 days, or 10 years, 11 months, and 25 days. This moment is counted since the Indonesian Super League in 2014.

The last goal scored by the “Laskar Kalinyamat” squad before sinking into Indonesia's lower-tier competition was scored on August 15, 2014.

Nearly 11 years ago, the last player of Persijap to score in the Super League was Rahmat Rivai. That goal became the key to Persijap's final victory in the Super League with a score of 1-0 against Sriwijaya FC at the Gelora Bumi Kartini Stadium, Jepara, Central Java.

"Persijap can be said to be facing PSM U-23," said PSM coach Bernardo Tavares after his team was held by Persijap on Friday night.

Failing to win against Persijap is indeed disappointing for the promotion team. However, upon examining the lineup of PSM, the acquisition of one point is certainly something to be grateful for.

"Juku Eja" played with a makeshift squad. They were unable to field seven new players, including three foreign players, who were brought in at the beginning of this season. The transfer ban imposed by FIFA had not been lifted ahead of the kickoff of the first game.

As a result, Tavares only has 17 remaining players from last season. Only two foreign players, Aloisio Neto and Victor Luiz, are available to play. Furthermore, Tavares has just three players over the age of 23 who are fit to play from the first minute, namely Reza Arya (25 years old), Syahrul Lasinari (25), and Akbar Tanjung (32).

The tactician from Portugal has, for the first time, fielded six players categorized as U-23. In fact, considering the five substitutions made, Tavares included four other players under the age of 23.

Thus, 10 local players with U-23 status played in the first match of PSM. This is the highest number of U-23 players fielded by a team in Indonesia's professional league.

In total, 16 players fielded by PSM in the opening game of this season's Super League formed a squad with an average age of only 22.2 years. Unsurprisingly, this is a record for the youngest squad of PSM since the Liga 1 era in 2017, and possibly also in the history of Juku Eja since the Indonesian League began in 1994-1995.

Meanwhile, the defeat to Borneo has revived unpleasant memories for Bhayangkara Presisi Lampung FC. Since their participation in Liga 1 2017, which culminated in a championship trophy, Bhayangkara has never suffered a defeat in the opening week.

The only negative result they suffered in the first game occurred in the 2023-2024 season. Two seasons ago, The Guardians fell 1-3 at the home of PSIS Semarang on July 3, 2023.

In that season, Bhayangkara had to face the bitter reality of being relegated to Liga 2. Bhayangkara finished in 17th place after completing 34 matches in the 2023-2024 competition campaign.

Bhayangkara goalkeeper Awan Setho Raharjo said the defeat to Borneo did not reflect his team's inferior performance compared to the home team.

"We played well, only luck was not on our side. It is time for us to evaluate in order to achieve good results in the first home match (against PSM)," said Setho.