Borneo FC Secure Dramatic Win Amidst Red Card Frenzy, Dewa United Top BRI Super League Standings

Borneo FC secured a crucial 1-0 victory over Bali United in a tight match during the third week of the BRI Super League 2026/2027 at Segiri Stadium, Samarinda, on Sunday (20/9/2026). The fiercely contested duel was marred by three red cards, forcing both teams to finish the game with an uneven number of players.

Pesut Etam's sole goal came from the penalty spot in the 54th minute. Juan Villa, the Colombian player, calmly converted the penalty to the left side of the goal defended by Mike Hauptmeijer. This execution proved to be the decisive moment in a tension-filled match.

From the opening whistle, the match tension was high. An incident in the 35th minute saw Borneo FC defender Rifad Marasabessy and Bali United forward Rahmat Arjuna sent off early after receiving direct red cards. Bali United found themselves further cornered when Tim Receveur was also dismissed by the referee in the 70th minute for a harsh tackle on an opponent. Playing with nine men, Serdadu Tridatu struggled to develop their game.

In Banten, Dewa United delivered an impressive performance in front of their home crowd. Hosting PSS Sleman at Banten International Stadium, Osmar Loss's team secured a 2-1 victory. Taisei Marukawa opened the scoring in the 49th minute, followed by Carlos Iury's goal nine minutes later. PSS managed to reduce the deficit through Christophe Nduwarugira in the 72nd minute, but it wasn't enough to avoid defeat.

These results firmly place Dewa United at the top of the standings with 10 points, while PSS Sleman remains rooted at the bottom without collecting any points from three matches. The victories for Borneo FC and Dewa United indicate that the competition in this season's BRI Super League will be fierce, especially among teams looking to challenge the dominance of the major clubs.

"We played with discipline and capitalized on the opportunities presented. The red cards certainly changed the dynamic, but the players remained focused," said an internal source at Borneo FC after the match.

For Bali United, this defeat is a significant blow. Besides losing points, they also lost key players due to red cards. Bali United coach, Stefano Cugurra, is urged to quickly address his team's mentality to prevent them from sinking deeper. Meanwhile, PSS Sleman, coached by Seto Nurdiyantoro, must urgently find a formula to bounce back from their slump if they want to avoid being eliminated from the competition.

Looking ahead, the BRI Super League will enter its fourth week with an equally challenging schedule. Borneo FC will face a tough test when they visit Persija Jakarta's home ground, while Dewa United will try to maintain their unbeaten record against Madura United. Will Dewa United's dominance continue, or will Borneo FC manage to overtake them? The Indonesian football public awaits the answer.