The 2019 season was the fifth season of competitive association football and fourth season in the Liga 1 played by Bali United Football Club, a professional football club based in Gianyar, Bali, Indonesia. Their 11th-place finish in 2018 meant it was their fourth successive season in Liga 1.
This season would be Bali United's first with head coach Stefano Cugurra, who stepped in for Widodo Cahyono Putro. Coming into the season, Bali United were in the round of 32 of the Piala Indonesia for the first time in their history.
The season would see the departures of original players such as I Made Wardana, I Gede Sukadana, Yandi Munawar, Novan Sasongko, Taufik Hidayat, Syaiful Cahya, Junius R. Bate, and Feby Eka Putra, as well as foreign recruits Nick van der Velden, Mahamadou N'Diaye, and Demerson. Players such as Haudi Abdillah, Samuel Reimas, Michael Orah, Willian Pacheco, Leonard Tupamahu, Fahmi Al-Ayyubi, Anan Lestaluhu, and Paulo Sérgio were brought in as replacements.
On 2 December 2019, the club won their first official title since the club formed, after second place Borneo draw to PSM and followed by a 2–0 win at Semen Padang to give Bali United mathematical certainty of the title with four games to spare.
Background
The 2018 season was Widodo Cahyono Putro's second start to a season as head coach of Bali United, having taken charge in May 2017. The club had their first ever Asian competitions appearances as they competed in AFC Champions League, where they knocked out in the preliminary round 2 by Thailand's side Chiangrai United. That result made them got a consolation place in the AFC Cup, where they had poor results, finishing last in their group. Bali United reached the round of 32 in the Piala Indonesia, which would be held in 2019 season. Widodo resigned as head coach in November 2018 with Bali United was in 7th place of the table. He was replaced by Eko Purdjianto who acted as caretaker and finished the season in 11th place.
Pre-season and friendlies
Friendlies
Indonesia President's Cup
Trofeo Hamengkubuwono X
Review and events
January–April
Bali United started the season by playing away to Liga 2 team Blitar United in the round of 32 of the Piala Indonesia. Ilija Spasojević gave Bali United the lead with a header from Fadil Sausu's free kick in the 9th minute. Bali United doubled the lead when Melvin Platje taped Spasojević's pass into the net. They sealed the game in the 63rd minute when Platje scored with a penalty and secured a 3–0 win in the first leg.
On the first day of the new month, a brace from Spasojević and goals from Irfan Bachdim and Platje secured Bali United's place in round of 16 of Piala Indonesia in a 4–0 win over Blitar United and 7–0 win on aggregate. The winning streak continues when Bali United won away against Persela. Jairo Rodrigues scored an own goal and failed to convert the penalty that was given after being saved by Wawan Hendrawan sealed 1–0 victory in the first leg. Four days later, Fadil scored a brace in the second leg at home secured a 3–0 win on aggregate against Persela and Bali United through to the quarter-finals.
After almost two-month break because of pre-season tournament Piala Presiden, Piala Indonesia continues with the first leg of quarter-finals when they faced Persija. Shahar Ginanjar saved a penalty from Stefano Lilipaly in the 12th minute, made the score goalless in the first half. Eight minutes into the second half, Lilipaly paid for his failure with a goal after receiving a pass from Bachdim. He scored his second goal in this match in the 80th minute, before Bambang Pamungkas narrow the margin and made the score 2–1 for Bali United.