Persijap Jepara vs PSIM Yogyakarta: The First Match is Full of Pressure on the Kartini Earth

Osvaldo target three pins for Perijap Jepara (photo: x @Persijap)

Persijap Jepara will host PSIM Yogyakarta in the 15th week of the Super League at the Gelora Bumi Kartini Stadium, Tuesday, December 23, 2025, kick-off at 19.00 WIB. This match is the first meeting between the two teams at the Super League level, presenting a duel without a long history, but full of pressure because of the contrasting positions and momentum.

Persijap Jepara comes with an alarming trend. In the last five matches, the Laskar Kalinyamat always swallow defeat. They conceded nine goals and only managed to score five goals throughout the period. Losses from PSBS Biak Numfor, Semen Padang, to Malut United show that Persijap still has difficulty maintaining the balance between defense and attack, especially when the tempo of the match increases.

On the other hand, PSIM Yogyakarta has a more stable capital. In the last five matches, the Laskar Mataram recorded two wins, two draws, and one defeat. Their productivity is also more promising with seven goals, including a convincing victory over Dewa United and Persik. Although they lost to Persija Jakarta, PSIM was able to bounce back and show their character as a team that is difficult to beat.

Because they have never met before, this duel will be determined entirely by current conditions, not history. Persijap is favored by the home factor, but the pressure is actually on the home team who needs a positive result to stop the negative trend. Meanwhile, PSIM can play more freely, taking advantage of the growing confidence.

With the momentum difference, the match is expected to be tight. Persijap will try to press from the start to break the string of bad results, while PSIM tends to wait for gaps and rely on the effectiveness of the attack. The first meeting often holds surprises, and in Bumi Kartini, one goal can be a turning point, or even extend the difficult story for the hosts.