The 2020 season was the sixth season of competitive association football and fifth season in the Liga 1 played by Bali United Football Club, a professional football club based in Gianyar, Bali, Indonesia. Their 1st-place finish in 2019 mean it was their fifth successive season in Liga 1.

Coming into the season, Bali United were the reigning Liga 1 champions. They also qualified for the AFC Champions League preliminary round 1 and ASEAN Club Championship group stage. This season was Bali United's second with head coach Stefano Cugurra. But Emral Abus served as a head coach in the AFC Champions League because there was a slight problem with Stefano Cugurra's coaching license which makes it administratively unable to be registered as a head coach. The same case also happen in AFC Cup where Eko Purjianto was registered as head coach.

They unable to finished all of this season competition (except for AFC Champions league which they finished in preliminary round 2) because all competition this season was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Background The 2019 season was Stefano Cugurra's first full season as head coach of Bali United, having taken charge in January 2019. The team went on a 12-match unbeaten run from July until September. This saw Bali United became the champions of 2019 Liga 1 with four matches left. Bali United were beaten 2–2 on away goals aggregate by Persija in the quarter-finals of 2018–19 Piala Indonesia.

Pre-season and friendlies Friendlies + Friendlies match details Date Opponent Venue Result Scorers 1 February – 16:30 Persela Home 1–0 Fadil 2 February – 16:30 Persela Home 2–0 Widnyana, Rahmat

Review and events January–March Bali United started their new season with preliminary round 1 of the AFC Champions League by playing away to Jalan Besar Stadium, Singapore to face 2019 Singapore Cup winners, Tampines Rovers. Playing on artificial turf, Melvin Platje gave Bali United an early lead with two goals inside 15 minute. Tampines Rovers pull one back with a goal before half time. Tampines Rovers evened the score in the 53rd minute and took the lead in the 68th minute by an own goal from their new signing, Rahmat. Rahmat paid for his mistake with an equalizing goal in the 81st minute and the match continues to extra time. Stefano Lilipaly and the other new signing Sidik Saimima ensured a 5–3 win and Bali United through to preliminary round 2. They once again failed to reach the group stage as they were destroyed by four-time A-League champions, Melbourne Victory five goals without reply at AAMI Park which resulted them to played in AFC Cup.

Once again Bali United were drawn into Group G. Ceres–Negros (Philippines), Svay Rieng (Cambodia), and Than Quảng Ninh (Vietnam) joined the group. The team opened their AFC Cup campaign with a win against 10-men Than Quảng Ninh after falling behind 0–1 in the first half. Rahmat and Platje started their comeback in just five minutes into the second half. Ilija Spasojević scored from a penalty before Platje sealed the game 4–1. They failed to continue their momentum as they lose to Svay Rieng. Once again played in artificial turf, they conceded two goals inside the 20th minute before Spasojević scored the only goals for the team.

They were held to a stalemate against Persita in the first match of March and Liga 1. A trip to the Demang Lehman Stadium to face Barito Putera five days after ended in a 2–1 win; the goals, scored by Lilipaly in the first half and the returning Lerby Eliandry in the second half. Losing three key players really affected the game of Bali United which made them lose 4–0 to Ceres–Negros in the continuation of the AFC Cup group stage. They bounce back with a 3–1 win against Madura United in the league. Platje scored two goals and Paulo Sérgio scored two assists plus a controversially disallowed goal from Spasojević marked their performance after back from injuries.

Match results Liga 1

+ Liga 1 match details Date Week Opponent Venue Result Scorers Attendance Referee Position 1 March – 21:40 1 Persita Home 0–0 6,551 Asep Yandis 9 6 March – 19:30 2 Barito Putera Away 2–1 Lilipaly, Lerby 4,481 Sigit Budiyanto 4 15 March – 16:30 3 Madura United Home 3–1 Platje (2), Pacheco 8,223 Aprisman Aranda 2 4 April – 21:30 4 Persiraja Away 9 April – 19:30 5 PSM Away 19 April – 19:30 6 TIRA-Persikabo Home 23 April – 21:30 7 Persib Away 4 May – 21:30 8 PSIS Home 18 May – 21:30 10 Persebaya Home 31 May – 19:30 9 Borneo Away 12 June – 16:30 11 Bhayangkara Away 19 June – 16:30 12 Persik Home 28 June – 16:30 13 Persija Away 2 July – 21:30 14 Persipura Home 7 July – 19:30 15 Persela Away 15 July – 18:30 16 Arema Home 19 July – 19:30 17 PSS Away 24 July – 16:30 18 Persita Away 28 July – 19:30 19 Barito Putera Home 2 August – 19:30 20 Madura United Away 6 August – 19:30 21 Persiraja Home 14 August – 19:00 22 PSM Home 18 August – 16:30 23 TIRA-Persikabo Away 22 August – 21:30 24 Persib Home 30 August – 16:30 25 PSIS Away 9 September – 19:30 26 Borneo Home 15 September – 16:30 27 Persebaya Away 19 September – 19:30 28 Bhayangkara Home 26 September – 16:30 29 Persik Away 4 October – 19:30 30 Persija Home 14 October – 16:30 31 Persipura Away 19 October – 19:30 32 Persela Home 25 October – 16:30 33 Arema Away TBD – --:-- 34 PSS Home

AFC Champions League

+ AFC Champions League match details Date Round Opponent Venue Result Scorers Attendance Referee 14 January – 19:30 Preliminary round 1 Tampines Rovers Away 5–3 Platje (2), Rahmat, Lilipaly, Saimima 1,400 Ahmad Yacoub Ibrahim 21 January – 16:35 Preliminary round 2 Melbourne Victory Away 0–5 5,387 Mohammed Al-Hoish

AFC Cup

+ AFC Cup match details Date Round Opponent Venue Result Scorers Attendance Referee 11 February – 19:30 Group stage Than Quảng Ninh Home 4–1 Rahmat, Platje (2), Spasojević 5,750 Masoud Tufayelieh 25 February – 19:00 Group stage Svay Rieng Away 1–2 Spasojević 2,106 Mahmood Al-Majarafi 11 March – 19:30 Group stage Ceres–Negros Away 0–4 1 Sadullo Gulmurodi 23 September – --:-- Group stage Ceres–Negros Neutral 26 September – --:-- Group stage Than Quảng Ninh Neutral 29 September – --:-- Group stage Svay Rieng Neutral

Player details Appearances and goals

No. in bracket is the player's number in AFC Competitions.

Disciplinary record

Transfers Transfers in Date Pos. Name From Fee Ref. 28 December 2019 MF Hariono Persib Free transfer DF Gavin Kwan Adsit Barito Putera 29 December 2019 GK Nadeo Argawinata Borneo Undisclosed 31 December 2019 MF Rahmat PSM 5 January 2020 FW Lerby Eliandry Borneo 6 January 2020 MF Sidik Saimima PSS Free transfer 12 January 2020 MF Reza Irfana Youth sector Promoted MF Kadek Haarlem Anggariva 22 February 2020 FW Irfan Jauhari 23 July 2020 FW Kadek Dimas Satria DF Komang Tri

Transfers out Date Pos. Name To Fee Ref. 27 December 2019 MF Ahmad Agung PSM Free transfer 28 December 2019 MF Ahmad Maulana Putra Semen Padang DF Adi Parwa Sulut United 29 December 2019 GK Diky Indrayana Borneo GK I Putu Pager Wirajaya Mitra Kukar 30 December 2019 MF I Nyoman Sukarja Free agent Released FW Aldino Herdianto Badak Lampung Free transfer 31 December 2019 FW Martinus Novianto PSIM DF Dallen Doke Persita 16 January 2020 MF Miftahul Hamdi Persiraja Undisclosed 12 February 2020 FW Irfan Bachdim PSS 4 August 2020 DF Anan Lestaluhu Free agent Released 5 October 2020 MF Paulo Sérgio

Loans out Start date Pos. Name To End date Ref. 17 January 2020 DF Gusti Sandria Sulut United End of season 27 August 2020 DF Agus Nova Wiantara 30 August 2020 FW Hanis Saghara Putra PSMS

References