Igor Tolic Says Persib's Win over Port FC Came from Tactical Intelligence
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- Persib Bandung membuka Grup B ASEAN Club Championship 2026/2027 dengan kemenangan 3-1 atas Port FC di Thammasat Stadium, Thailand.
- Igor Tolic menilai kemampuan membaca situasi dan mengubah pendekatan permainan menjadi kunci comeback Maung Bandung.
- Kemenangan ini menjadi modal penting bagi Persib untuk menghadapi jadwal padat dan meningkatkan kepercayaan diri di kompetisi regional.
Persib Bandung opened their campaign in Group B of the ASEAN Club Championship (ACC) or Shopee Cup 2026/2027 with a convincing result. Playing in front of Port FC supporters at Thammasat Stadium, Thailand, on Thursday (8/10/2026) evening WIB, Maung Bandung won 3-1 after falling behind first. This victory not only gave them three points but also underlined the tactical quality of Igor Tolic's side at regional level.
The Croatian coach said his team's success was inseparable from the players' intelligence in reading the flow of the match. According to him, the ability to adapt to changing situations was the difference between Persib and the hosts. "Congratulations to the players. This kind of thing can happen when you have a group of very intelligent players on the pitch," Tolic said after the match.
In the first half, Port FC troubled Persib's back line with pressure and a number of chances. However, a tidy defensive organization kept the visitors' goal safe. Tolic acknowledged the opponent played aggressively, but his side was able to contain the threat thanks to positional discipline and good communication between players.
A significant change occurred after the break. Tolic revealed that his team changed several things, especially after scoring the goal that turned the game around. "The first half was a match with a different character. Then in the second half, especially after we scored, we changed a few things," he explained. He added that the team performed well in both phases, including when defending inside the penalty box.
"When they started to tire, space began to open up and we have many players who are good at launching counterattacks," Tolic said.
The fatigue of Port FC's players became the turning point. Tolic saw space in the opponent's defense begin to open and exploited it with quick counterattacks. According to him, the quality of the players in the front line was key to maximizing chances. "We put them in the right positions, and the space opened up. When you have that kind of quality up front, sometimes you don't score, but often you can," he said.
This victory is a positive signal for Persib as they face a tight regional competition. The ACC features the best clubs from Southeast Asia, and every point matters greatly for advancing from the group phase. For Persib, the result in Thailand also strengthens the confidence of young players and provides valuable experience of playing at international level.
From a tactical standpoint, Tolic's ability to change the system mid-match shows a flexibility rarely possessed by Indonesian teams. He does not rely on just one pattern but is able to adjust to the opponent's conditions. This is an added value in a competition that demands quick adaptation.
Going forward, Persib will face tough opponents in Group B. Consistency and tactical intelligence will be tested, especially when playing at home. Can Maung Bandung maintain this momentum and go far in the ACC? Only time will tell, but one thing is certain: the win over Port FC has proven that Persib are not merely makeweights.
