Persib Beat Port FC Thailand 3 - 1 in Their Backyard!

What a dramatic trailing! With just three minutes remaining, Persib Bandung turned it on late to beat Port FC at the Shammarsat Stadium in Thailand. Persib made its winning debut in Foofball Club (Shopee Match), 3 - 1, last night.   

After Garuda roared at GBK, Maung Bandung silenced Port FC, Thailand.  Indonesia broke a 35-year curse by beating Thailand 4-2 on penalties at Gelora Bung Karno. Almost 80,000 people roared inside GBK. 

Three days later, October 8th, Persib made Thailand hurt again—but not in GBK. This time in Thailand's own backyard. At Thammasat Stadium, Pathum Thani, Maung Bandung beat host Port FC 3-1 in Group B of the Shopee Cup. Port FC's home, full of their supporters. Not ours. 

 I watched it from Bandung via live streaming on a YouTube channel. Bobotoh were not there flooding the stadium like at GBLA. The stands were orange and blue—Port FC colors. That's what makes the win sweeter. 

Persib Bandung showed a steady mentality during their first Group B match. Port FC dominated the first half, pressing high with nine attempts. Teja Paku Alam saved us three times. 0-0 at half-time. 66th minute, a penalty for Port FC. Jude Soonsup-Bell sent Teja the wrong way. 0-1 behind, in their home, with their crowd screaming.

Then the new Persib woke up. The coach is no longer Bojan Hodak. Since 2026, it's Igor Tolić—Croatian, born in 1977, Hodak's former assistant from 2023 to 2026 who won consecutive Liga 1 titles with him.

Tolić's men poured forward instead of giving up. Mariano Peralta equalized with a precise low finish. 1-1. 

Then Luka Menalo crossed, and Berguinho smashed it. 2-1. In the final seconds, Menalo himself slotted a pass from Peralta. 3-1. 

Three goals in 10 minutes late in the game, silencing Thammasat. For Thai fans, this is the worst month. First, their national team lost to Garuda at GBK; now their club lost 1-3 at home to Maung Bandung. 

For us in Bandung, watching on YouTube at home, it felt different from GBK but just as proud. GBK was loud and massive. Thammasat was quiet revenge—we won in their land, without our Bobotoh army. 

Hodak built the defense. Tolic adds courage. He already beat FC Seoul 1-0 away in ACL Two. Now Port FC is 3-1 away. Persib is no longer a tourist in ASEAN. 

The Shopee Cup has just started, but the message is clear. If Indonesia can break the 35-year curse at GBK, Persib can break the curse of never winning away in Thailand. Go ahead, Maung Bandung!

GBK Roared: The Night Indonesia Beat Thailand 4-2 on Penalties

Indonesia Ends 35 Years of Waiting

At 11:30 PM, Gelora Bung Karno was emptying. 80,000 people had just screamed themselves hoarse as Indonesia beat Thailand 4-2 on penalties. I stayed on my bench. I needed to understand why a regional final felt bigger than a World Cup.

Indonesia has 280 million people, and most of them love football. For 35 years, we waited for the ASEAN Cup. For 35 years, we were mocked as the runner-up specialist. That curse ended last night.

It took a long journey. PSSI replaced coaches many times—Shin Tae-yong from Korea, then Patrick Kluivert from Holland, until finally John Herdman from England brought us the crown.

Behind it was Erick Thohir, the minister and owner of Oxford United and former owner of Inter Milan. His plan was simple: call back our diaspora. Players with Indonesian blood from their ancestors came home through naturalization. Critics said we were dominated by Europeans. Malaysians mocked us. It wasn't true. They love Indonesia, and Indonesia loves football.

This year, FIFA appointed Indonesia as host, but with a new system. The ASEAN countries were divided into divisions. Division 1: Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, Pakistan, Bangladesh, the Philippines, and Vietnam. Hosted in Indonesia. Division 2: Hong Kong, Laos, Brunei, Cambodia, Timor-Leste, Myanmar. Hosted in Hong Kong.

Australia is now part of ASEAN football, but they chose not to participate to equalize the competition—their FIFA ranking is far above the rest.

The road to the final was crazy. In Division 1, Malaysia held Indonesia to a draw. Then on October 2nd in Bandung, Malaysia destroyed Singapore 6-0. We looked blocked from the final.

Then came the miracle. Indonesia beat Bangladesh 9-2. An unbelievable score. On aggregate goals, we overtook Malaysia. Harimau Malaya went home. So it was Indonesia vs Thailand in the final — the ultimate proof of who is king in the region.

I watched it live at GBK on October 5th. The vibe was not ASEAN; it was the World Cup. Tickets sold out days before. People came from Jakarta, Bandung, and all over Java. Some who came late couldn't even enter. President Prabowo sat beside FIFA President Gianni Infantino in the VIP tribune. More than 80,000 were inside; millions more watched on TV and YouTube.

At 7:30 PM, Anggun C. Sasmi opened the ceremony. At 8 PM, the ball rolled. From kick-off, the tension was suffocating. We started carefully. Then Indonesia scored. GBK exploded. Minutes later, Thailand equalized. Silence. Then a Thai defender lost his temper—red card. Thailand down to 10 men.

We should have won easily. Instead, disaster. Thailand counter-attacked and scored. 1-2 for Thailand, against 10 men, in Jakarta. Garuda behind the White Elephants. It was embarrassing.

President Prabowo, Erick Thohir,
and President FIFA Gianni Infantino at the Tribune 

In the last minutes, Herdman gambled. Two fresh players in. Thailand did the same, parking the bus with total defense. Garuda pressed. 65% possession but no goal. Until—in the dying minutes—we equalized 2-2. The stadium shook. 90 minutes over. Extra time, 2x15 minutes. Same story. Thailand defended with everything. 

So it went to penalties. Sudden death. Supporters held their breath. Indonesia 4-2 on penalties. The roar was something I will never forget. Prabowo and his ministers jumped up, hands in the air. The 35-year curse was finally broken.

By 11:30 PM, everyone was leaving, but I stayed. Both coaches last night—John Herdman and Thailand's Anthony Hudson—are English. Herdman from Consett, Hudson from London. Same school, same tactics. At the end, penalties are just luck. And luck was ours.

I got home at 1:30 AM and rewatched it online. FIFA's website was flooded. Sports channels worldwide were analyzing an ASEAN final. Why? Because 280 million people feeling the same emotion at the same time is powerful. That collective catharsis spreads fast.

Now a bigger challenge awaits: the World Cup. Asia has monsters—Japan, Australia, Iran, South Korea, and Saudi Arabia. On FIFA rankings, they will beat us easily. But football has its own ways. There are always miracles on the field. This dream team is on fire. Nothing is impossible if they keep fighting, keep improving, and keep believing. We still have months to prepare. Go ahead, Garuda! Give us more pride. The time is on your side now!