Persija have endured a difficult start to the season - domestic as well as international - with the club already eliminated from the 2019 AFC Cup and languishing third from bottom in the domestic league.

While the leagues in Malaysia, Myanmar and Laos had already paused for the national team games, there has been plenty of action elsewhere in the region over the past seven days, so join the-AFC.com as we review the best of it.

The Indonesian side took the lead early on through an audacious free-kick from hat-trick hero Bruno Matos and never looked back, outclassing their visitors to consign them to a sixth defeat from as many matches in Group G.

With Ceres Negros having already sealed top spot in the group, Binh Duong must now aim for a best runners-up spot. Meanwhile, Persija’s chances of progress in the tournament were ended as they slumped to a third successive defeat.

Victor Mansaray’s direct run had the Persija defence backpedaling in the eighth minute but the American’s shot from 18 yards was straight at Andritany Ardhiyasa.

What was to be an epic match opened in appropriately exciting fashion with chances at either end in the first 10 minutes.

First Novri Setiwan’s angled effort from inside the area after three minutes was kept out, before Ceres midfielder Kevin Ingreso saw his own close-range attempt denied by a smart save from Andritany Ardhiyasa.

With two points separating the two teams after the first two matches, the home side made the perfect start when Spaniard Marañon headed home from Martin Steuble’s inch perfect cross in just the ninth minute.

The hosts took a surprise lead through Reo Nakamura just inside the 15-minute mark, but Persija came out strongly after the interval and levelled through Bruno Matos midway through the second half.

Steven Paulle put Persija in front with 13 minutes to play and Matos wrapped up proceedings in the final 10 minutes as Ivan Kolev’s side claimed their first win of the campaign.