Bali United 2–3 Borneo FC: Pesut Etam snatch dramatic late win in Liga 1 thriller

Borneo FC staged a stunning comeback to edge past Bali United 3–2 at the Stadion Kapten I Wayan Dipta in a pulsating Indonesian Liga 1 encounter on 11 May 2026. The visitors overturned a two-goal deficit with a ruthless second‑half display, leaving the home crowd stunned and tightening their grip on the top‑half of the table.

Match overview

The match started at a frantic pace, with both sides eager to assert dominance. Bali United, playing in front of their passionate fans, looked the sharper side in the opening half‑hour. A well‑worked move down the left flank saw Privat Mbarga slot home the opener in the 18th minute, giving Serdadu Tridatu a deserved lead. Just before the break, a clever set‑piece routine doubled the advantage: a low corner was met by Ilham Armaiyn, whose first‑time shot deflected past the Borneo goalkeeper.

Borneo FC, however, refused to wilt. Coach Pieter Huistra’s tactical tweaks at half‑time transformed the visitors, who came out with renewed intensity.

Key moments

• 18' – Goal: Privat Mbarga (Bali United) 1–0 – A precise cut‑back and clinical finish from inside the box.
• 42' – Goal: Ilham Armaiyn (Bali United) 2–0 – A deflected effort from a corner routine.
• 55' – Goal: Stefano Lilipaly (Borneo FC) 2–1 – A powerful long‑range strike that gave the goalkeeper no chance.
• 73' – Goal: Terens Puhiri (Borneo FC) 2–2 – A swift counter‑attack finished with composure.
• 88' – Goal: Ahmad Hardianto (Borneo FC) 2–3 – A glancing header from a pinpoint cross sealed the comeback.

Tactical story

Bali United’s early dominance came from quick transitions and wide overloads. Wing‑backs Adi Setiawan and Ricky Fajrin pushed high, creating numerical advantages. Borneo struggled to contain those surges in the first half. But after the interval, Huistra introduced an extra midfielder, shifting to a 4‑3‑3 that pressed Bali’s build‑up play. The change suffocated Bali’s creativity and allowed Lilipaly and Puhiri to exploit space behind the full‑backs. Borneo’s equaliser came from a lightning counter‑attack that caught Bali’s defence out of shape.

Bali’s fitness levels dipped late in the game, and Borneo capitalised with a set‑piece winner – a well‑delivered free‑kick met by Hardianto’s thumping header.

Standout players

Stefano Lilipaly was the architect of Borneo’s revival. His goal sparked the comeback, and his overall influence – completing 87% of passes and creating three chances – earned him the man‑of‑the‑match award. On the other side, Privat Mbarga continued his fine form for Bali United, but his early strike proved insufficient.

Table impact

The victory lifted Borneo FC to third in the Liga 1 standings, now level on points with second‑placed Persib Bandung but with a game in hand. Bali United, meanwhile, slipped to sixth, having now lost two of their last three home matches. The result underlined Borneo’s credentials as genuine title contenders, while raising questions about Bali’s defensive resilience under pressure.

With the season approaching its decisive phase, both sides will take contrasting lessons from this thrilling contest. For Borneo FC, belief is soaring; for Bali United, there is work to do on the training ground.