Persipura Jayapura ended the first round of Indonesia’s Pegadaian Championship 2026/27 on a high note, coming from behind to defeat Deltras FC 2-1 at Gelora Delta Stadium on November 7, 2026. A stoppage-time strike from Elisa Yahya Basna secured three valuable points and gave the Papuan side a positive finish to a challenging period away from home.
The victory was particularly important for Persipura, who had spent the entire first round playing their designated home matches in Sidoarjo rather than Jayapura. After nine matches, the club finished sixth in Group 2 with 13 points, recording four wins, two draws, and three defeats. The total reflects a one-point deduction imposed following a disciplinary sanction from the previous season.
While the result offered encouragement, Persipura’s management made clear that the team still had work to do. Club president Owen Rahadiyan acknowledged that the first-round performance had fallen short of his expectations and said the club would continue evaluating and improving its internal dynamics.
For the players, however, the comeback against Deltras demonstrated the importance of persistence. Having fallen behind in the second half, Persipura recovered through Gunansar Papua Mandowen before Basna delivered the decisive goal in the 94th minute.
The result provided a fitting conclusion to the first round and an important boost as the club prepares to return to its home ground at Stadion Lukas Enembe in Sentani, Papua.
Persipura Comes Back After Deltras Takes the Lead
The match at Gelora Delta Stadium was the final fixture of the first round for both clubs. Persipura entered the contest looking to secure a positive result, while Deltras were determined to protect their position in the upper part of the Group 2 standings.
The first half produced a competitive contest, with Persipura attempting to establish control and Deltras looking for opportunities to threaten the visitors’ defense. Neither side managed to find the breakthrough before the interval.
The match became more intense after the restart. Deltras gradually increased their attacking pressure and eventually took the lead in the 65th minute through Rian Almeida Lopes.
The goal put Persipura under immediate pressure. A defeat would have been a disappointing way to conclude a first round already complicated by the club’s absence from its home stadium and the points deduction.
Rather than allowing the setback to disrupt their performance, however, the Jayapura side responded by increasing the intensity of their attacks.
Their efforts produced an equaliser in the 78th minute. Gunansar Papua Mandowen found the back of the net, bringing the score to 1-1 and restoring Persipura’s opportunity to take all three points.
The goal changed the momentum of the contest. With the score level, both teams continued looking for a decisive moment, but the match appeared increasingly likely to end in a draw as normal time approached its conclusion.
Persipura had other plans.
Basna Delivers the Decisive Blow in Stoppage Time
The decisive moment arrived in the 94th minute when Elisa Yahya Basna scored to put Persipura ahead 2-1.
The late goal completed a remarkable turnaround. From trailing 1-0 to securing a 2-1 victory, Persipura had demonstrated the determination needed to remain competitive until the final whistle.
The result was especially meaningful because the team had been unable to turn its efforts into a breakthrough during the first half. The two second-half goals showed a more effective response when the match became difficult.
According to the official club report, head coach Regi Aditya acknowledged that not all of the team’s planned tactics had worked as expected, particularly during the opening half.
“Some of our plans were successful about 50 percent of the time, while others did not go as intended.” However, I saw the determination and composure of the players, as well as their hard work and efforts to remain focused,” Regi said.
He also praised the contribution of the entire squad, including the 35 players available to the team during the season.
The coach’s assessment reflected the difficult nature of the match. Persipura had to adjust its approach after conceding and maintain its concentration during the closing stages, when a single mistake could have cost the team its opportunity to win.
Regi also acknowledged Deltras for providing strong opposition, saying the home side had forced him to think harder about tactical solutions.
His comments offered recognition of the opposition while highlighting the qualities that helped Persipura secure the victory.
Regi Aditya Praises the Players’ Determination
Following the match, Regi expressed gratitude for the players’ efforts and the work carried out during the preparation period.
In comments reported by detikJatim on November 8, he described the contest as an outstanding match and thanked Deltras for the resistance they had provided.
“The match was extraordinary and pushed me to work even harder. Many thanks to the Deltras team as well for giving us such a strong challenge,” Regi said.
He explained that the team’s preparations over the preceding week had helped the players execute their training work on the pitch.
“This performance was the result of a week’s training. What we had practiced on the field could be carried out well by the players tonight. My thanks go to all the players, staff, and leaders,” he said.
Regi also dedicated the three points to the people of Papua and the players’ families.
The dedication reflected the relationship between Persipura and its supporters, for whom the club represents more than a football team. As one of Papua’s best-known sporting institutions, Persipura has a longstanding place in the region’s sporting identity and community life.
For many supporters, following the club is a way of maintaining a connection with Jayapura and Papua, even when the team is required to play far from home.
The victory over Deltras offered those supporters a reason to look forward to the next stage of the competition.
Owen Rahadiyan: The First-Round Results Are Not Enough
Despite the positive result, Persipura president Owen Rahadiyan was careful not to present the first-round campaign as a complete success.
In a statement published on the club’s official website on November 8, Owen acknowledged that he was not satisfied with the points collected after nine matches.
“Looking at what has happened, I am certainly not satisfied with the points we have collected. However, we must also remember that the dynamics within the team are something I continuously evaluate and work to improve,” Owen said.
Persipura finished the first round with 13 points from four victories, two draws, and three defeats. The club’s official explanation also confirmed that the total was affected by a one-point deduction imposed following a sanction from the previous season.
The deduction has added pressure to the club’s campaign, making every match particularly important in the race to improve its position.
Owen’s comments suggest that management intends to examine more than the results of individual matches. The club must assess its overall performance, internal organization, and ability to maintain consistency across the remaining fixtures.
The objective is to ensure that the second round produces stronger results and keeps Persipura competitive in the race for promotion to Indonesia’s top division.
The club’s ambition is significant given its history and reputation in Indonesian football. Persipura has won four Indonesian league titles and remains one of the country’s most recognizable football institutions.
However, past achievements alone cannot guarantee future success. The current campaign requires consistent performances, effective squad management, and the ability to turn promising displays into points.
Playing Away from Jayapura Created Additional Challenges
One of the most important factors affecting Persipura’s first-round campaign was the requirement to play its home matches in Sidoarjo.
The arrangement followed disciplinary sanctions imposed after incidents during the previous season. As a result, Persipura had to complete the first round without the usual advantage of playing in front of its home supporters at Stadion Lukas Enembe.
Owen said playing away from Jayapura had created challenges for both the players and the wider team environment.
Although the matches were officially designated as home fixtures, he stressed that Sidoarjo was not the club’s actual home.
“That previous season’s sanction placed a significant burden on the team. Although we called them home matches, they were not really our home games. Our home is Jayapura,” Owen said.
The situation also meant that players spent approximately two months away from their families.
Owen acknowledged that the distance had an emotional impact, particularly for players who had been separated from their spouses, children, and other loved ones.
“Of course, there is an impact. When we are far from home, especially when we are away from Papua, we miss our families. Our players have spent two months away from their families and the people they love, including their children,” he said.
The comments provide an important perspective on the difficulties of competing away from home over an extended period.
Professional football requires physical preparation, tactical discipline, and mental resilience. For a team based in Papua, extended periods away from home can also involve additional personal and logistical demands.
Persipura’s victory against Deltras therefore carried significance beyond the three points. It allowed the team to complete the first round with a positive result before returning to the environment where the club has traditionally built its strongest connection with supporters.
Return to Stadion Lukas Enembe Offers Fresh Motivation
The second round will bring a major change for Persipura as the club prepares to return to Stadion Lukas Enembe in Sentani, Papua.
Owen described Jayapura as the team’s real home and expressed hope that playing there again would provide a fresh source of motivation.
The return is expected to give players an opportunity to reconnect with their families and benefit from the support of local fans.
However, the club is also aware that the return must be accompanied by careful preparations to ensure that matches can take place safely and comfortably.
Owen said Persipura had involved external parties, including a security officer holding FIFA certification, to review the stadium and its arrangements.
The assessment is intended to reduce the risk of incidents similar to those that occurred during the previous season and contributed to the disciplinary sanction.
The management is also preparing adjustments to vehicle routes, spectator access, and stadium entry and exit arrangements. One of the planned measures involves securing and controlling the Ring 1 area around the stadium.
Owen stressed that the responsibility for ensuring a safe match environment cannot rest with the club alone.
“This is not only the club’s responsibility. We need cooperation from the relevant government agencies, local authorities, the police, the Indonesian National Armed Forces, and everyone in Jayapura,” he said.
He added that discussions with relevant stakeholders had already taken place and that the club had received encouraging support.
The management also plans to communicate changes to security and access arrangements to the public before matches resume at the stadium.
Such cooperation will be important in ensuring that Persipura can play in front of its supporters while meeting the requirements of professional football competition.
What the Standings Mean for Persipura’s Promotion Ambitions
The 2-1 victory over Deltras leaves Persipura sixth in Group 2 with 13 points after nine matches.
The record of four wins, two draws, and three defeats provides a reasonable foundation for the second round, although the club remains aware that improvement is necessary.
The points gap between Persipura and several nearby competitors is relatively narrow, making the remaining fixtures important for the team’s position in the standings.
The result against Deltras is therefore valuable not only because it concludes the first round with a win, but also because it gives the players a stronger psychological starting point for the next phase.
For Regi Aditya, the immediate task will be to maintain the determination and focus demonstrated in Sidoarjo while addressing the aspects of the team’s performance that did not work as planned.
For Owen and the management, the priority is broader: improving the team’s overall consistency, evaluating its internal dynamics, and ensuring that the return to Jayapura is supported by effective organization.
The promotion objective remains an important part of the club’s ambitions. To pursue it successfully, Persipura will need to turn the resilience shown against Deltras into a more consistent pattern of results.
Conclusion
Persipura Jayapura’s 2-1 comeback victory over Deltras FC was a fitting end to a demanding first round of the 2026/27 Pegadaian Championship. Goals from Gunansar Mandowen and Elisa Yahya Basna transformed a difficult match into three valuable points, leaving the Mutiara Hitam sixth in Group 2 with 13 points.
Yet the victory has not removed the challenges facing the club. Owen Rahadiyan has acknowledged the need for further evaluation, while Regi Aditya must continue refining the team’s tactical approach and maintaining the determination shown in Sidoarjo.
The return to Stadion Lukas Enembe also offers an important opportunity to rebuild the connection between the players and their supporters, provided that the necessary safety arrangements are implemented through cooperation between the club, local authorities, and security institutions.
For Persipura and its supporters across Papua, the win against Deltras is more than a satisfying final result. It is a chance to begin the second round with renewed confidence, a return to home territory, and a clear objective: turn the promise of the first-round finish into stronger performances and a serious challenge for promotion.
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