Without Mauricio Souza, Persija Remains Solid Thanks to Tactical Analysis

The role of the analyst team was a crucial factor behind Persija Jakarta's victory over Bhayangkara FC. Persija's assistant coach, Ricky Nelson, emphasized that the data supply and tactical input from the analyst team greatly helped the Macan Kemayoran control the match and achieve a convincing win.

Persija successfully defeated Bhayangkara FC 3-0 in the postponed BRI Super League match at Gelora Bung Karno Main Stadium, Jakarta, on Monday night, December 29, 2025. Head coach Mauricio Souza couldn't directly accompany the team due to accumulated yellow cards, leaving Ricky Nelson responsible for technical decisions on the field.

Ricky explained that although regulations prohibit direct communication with coaching staff on the bench during matches, coordination with the analyst team continued through pre-established channels.

“Regulations indeed forbid direct communication during the match, so communication occurred beforehand. We have an analyst team providing input to us below,” Ricky stated at the post-match press conference.

“We discussed how to implement changes and what to do in the second half with our 1-0 lead. Communication continued with our analysts upstairs,” he added.

Persija took the lead through Allano de Souza's penalty goal in the 45+5 minute. After maintaining a one-goal advantage until halftime, Persija became more effective in the second half. Continuous pressure resulted in Putu Gede's own goal in the 62nd minute, before Jordi Amat secured victory with a long-range strike in the 78th minute.

Persija midfielder Hanif Sjahbandi, who came on as a substitute in the 82nd minute, agreed with Ricky's statement about the importance of pre-match tactical preparation. According to Hanif, the on-field performance reflected the team's training process.

“The coaches conveyed necessary information during training sessions. This match resulted from our excellent preparation, and I hope this performance yields positive results going forward,” Hanif remarked.

Despite the convincing win, Ricky acknowledged Persija faced challenges early in the match, particularly in breaking down Bhayangkara's low defensive block. He noted this mirrored problems encountered during Persija's previous 0-1 defeat against Semen Padang.

“Breaking defenses requires penetration, various approaches, or set pieces like today's penalty. We always prepare for this in training since most teams deploy low blocks against us. Our forwards need to enhance creativity,” Ricky explained.

This victory elevated Persija to third place in the BRI Super League Standings with 32 points. The Macan Kemayoran now trail the top two teams—Persib Bandung and Borneo FC—by just two points, maintaining their pursuit of the top positions.

Persija will next play at home against bottom-table team Persijap Jepara on Saturday, January 3, 2026. This match presents an opportunity for the Macan Kemayoran to extend their positive momentum and test their consistency.