Gianyar, MINA – Bali United FC suffered a bitter defeat in the opening match of the 2026 Dewata Challenge Series against the Malaysian side, Sabah FC.
Playing on home turf at the Kapten I Wayan Dipta Stadium in Gianyar on Thursday night, the team nicknamed Serdadu Tridatu (The Balinese Warriors) lost 1-2.
The Rhinos took the lead through Park Jung-bin (9) in the 17th minute, with the South Korean player capitalizing on a defensive error by Bali United.
The score shifted from 0-1 to 1-1 after Rahmat Arjuna (47) equalized with a stunning goal from outside the penalty area in the 23rd minute.
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However, Sabah FC restored their lead with a fine goal from Gonzalo Ignacio Di Renzo (7) in the 45th minute; the Argentine player easily beat goalkeeper Mike Hauptmeijer (1) in the ensuing one-on-one situation.
In the second half, Bali United attempted to overturn the deficit. However, neither side managed to score during the final 45 minutes, and the match ended 1-2 in favor of Sabah FC.
Sabah FC is set to face the 2025/2026 Super League champions, Persib Bandung, this coming Saturday (August 15). []
Mi’raj News Agency (MINA)
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