Two Goals Down, Arema FC Force Bhayangkara FC to Share the Points at Kanjuruhan
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- Arema FC bangkit dari ketertinggalan 0-2 untuk menahan imbang Bhayangkara Presisi Lampung FC 2-2 di Stadion Kanjuruhan.
- Gol Matias Ocampos dan Milan Ristovski sempat membawa tim tamu unggul, sebelum Marcos Vinicius dan Samuel Otusanya menyamakan kedudukan.
- Hasil ini menyelamatkan satu poin tuan rumah, tetapi menyisakan pekerjaan rumah besar bagi lini pertahanan Singo Edan.
Arema FC avoided a humiliating defeat in front of their own supporters after playing out a 2-2 draw against Bhayangkara Presisi Lampung FC in the continuation of the BRI Super League 2026/2027 at Kanjuruhan Stadium, Malang, Saturday (10/10/2026). Two goals down first, Singo Edan fought back in the second half and equalized through Marcos Vinicius and Samuel Otusanya. The result felt like a moral victory for the hosts, though it still left serious problems at the back.
The match did not go smoothly for Arema from the start. Bhayangkara Presisi Lampung FC played aggressively and took the lead through Matias Ocampos. Milan Ristovski then doubled the score, silencing the Kanjuruhan crowd. Those two goals exposed gaps in Arema's defensive organization, which was often too slow to anticipate the opponent's quick counterattacks.
Entering the second half, the Arema coach made tactical adjustments by adding firepower up front. The change paid off when Marcos Vinicius reduced the deficit. That goal lifted the spirits of the players and supporters. Samuel Otusanya then became the savior with an equalizer that made the most of a measured cross. Otusanya's celebration became the most iconic moment of the match.
For Bhayangkara Presisi Lampung FC, the result felt like dropping two valuable points. Leading by two goals away from home should have been enough to seal the win. However, consistency is a classic problem for the visitors, who have several times this season failed to hold on to a lead. The Bhayangkara coach is seen as needing to immediately fix the players' mentality when facing pressure from the home side.
From Arema's perspective, this comeback showed the never-say-die character that is the hallmark of Singo Edan. The support of Aremania, who sang chants nonstop throughout the match, gave the players extra energy. Even so, one point is not enough to improve their position in the standings. Arema still have to fight hard if they want to compete at the top of the BRI Super League this season.
"We showed extraordinary fighting spirit. Being two goals down is not an easy situation, but the players did not give up. This one point is important, but we know there is still a lot to improve," said an internal team source who declined to be named.
Tactically, the match showed that Arema have solid squad depth in attack. However, their weak defensive transition is a red flag. Bhayangkara repeatedly broke through Arema's defense with quick attacks in the first half. If not fixed soon, the same pattern could be exploited by other teams in the next matches.
On the other hand, this draw is also a signal that competition in the BRI Super League 2026/2027 is getting tighter. Promoted teams like Bhayangkara Presisi Lampung FC are able to put up fierce resistance away from home. This indicates that the quality of the domestic competition is becoming more even, though a gap in consistency remains.
Going forward, Arema FC will face a packed schedule that demands smart player rotation. The coach must be able to maintain the players' physical fitness while also improving coordination at the back. Meanwhile, Bhayangkara need to learn to close out matches more calmly. Will Arema be able to turn this comeback spirit into a positive trend, or will they instead fall back into inconsistency?
