JEPARA, Indonesia (Interstat) — Substitute Giovani Numberi scored in the 63rd minute to lift Persijap to a 1-0 victory over Madura Utd in a Liga 1 match on Saturday, February 7, 2026, at Stadion Gelora Bumi Kartini.

The match, which opened the domestic league season for both Indonesian clubs, was decided by a swift counter-attack finished by the impactful Numberi. The result defied pregame projections from Interstat, whose game simulator had forecast a 1-1 draw and whose ELO system gave Madura Utd a 57.3 percent probability of victory.

The first half was a physical, disjointed affair, more notable for fouls than fluid play. Madura Utd struggled to create clear chances despite being the statistical favorite, while Persijap looked to hit on the break. The tone was set early when Persijap’s Paulo Sitanggang, also a substitute, received a yellow card in the 16th minute. Persijap forward Alexis Gómez joined him in the book just before halftime in the 44th minute.

The game needed an injection of quality, and it arrived from the bench. After Madura Utd’s Lulinha was cautioned in the 56th minute, Persijap struck seven minutes later. The goal originated from an unlikely source, as goalkeeper Sendri Johansah launched a long distribution that found Gómez. The forward then combined with Sitanggang, who played a precise pass to fellow substitute Lulinha on the right flank. Lulinha’s first-time cross found Numberi in stride at the near post, and the substitute made no mistake, slotting home to break the deadlock.

Persijap managed the lead effectively in the final half-hour, though not without further disciplinary incidents. Johansah, the assisting goalkeeper, received a yellow card in the 79th minute for time-wasting. The match’s most significant moment of ill-discipline came deep into second-half stoppage time when Madura Utd’s Lulinha, already on a yellow, was shown a second caution and sent off in the 90+2 minute, compounding a frustrating debut for the visitors.

The final whistle confirmed a winning start for Persijap in Liga 1, giving them an early three points and a record of one win and no losses in the competition. For Madura Utd, the defeat marked a disappointing beginning to their campaign, leaving them with a record of no wins and one loss. The records also apply across all competitions for both sides at this early stage of the season.

The key performances all came from Persijap, led by the match-winner Numberi. His decisive finish was set up by a sequence involving three other notable contributors: Lulinha with the assist, Sitanggang with the secondary assist, and the long-range initiation from Gómez. Johansah’s assist from his own penalty area and his subsequent game-management booking rounded out the pivotal roles in a hard-fought, tactical victory for the home side.