Latest news with #PauloJosue
The Star
4 days ago
- Sport
- The Star
Goals always glitter at home for Josue
PETALING JAYA: There's just something about the Cheras Football Stadium and Paulo Josue. The Kuala Lumpur captain and striker again delivered on familiar turf, scoring a crucial equaliser in Malaysia's 1-1 draw with Cape Verde in an international friendly on Thursday and extending his love affair with the stadium. Josue's late strike in the 79th minute cancelled out Cape Verde's early lead, salvaging a spirited result for Harimau Malaya against the world No. 72 side. More than just a goal, it was a moment that capped off a composed team performance and served as a statement of intent heading into the next friendly. 'It is always special to score here, especially with the national team,' said Josue. 'The coach had a word with me before the game - he wanted less touches and more goals, and that stuck with me. First chance, first goal. It was an unbelievable night.' Cape Verde had taken an early lead through Sidny Cabral in the ninth minute, exploiting a sluggish start from Malaysia, who were playing their first competitive match after a month-long off-season break. Despite a slow start, Cklamovski's men tightened up, switching to a five-man defence to nullify Cape Verde's pace and possession play. 'We managed to contain their possession and aggression with the back five,' Josue explained. 'It was tough. We have had no games for 30 days, then just a few intense training sessions. But we kept ourselves in it and took our chance when the game opened up.' Josue, who has hinted that he wishes to remain in Kuala Lumpur beyond his current stint, looked at home the moment he stepped on the pitch. His familiarity with the stadium and chemistry with the players around him proved pivotal in Malaysia's push for an equaliser. 'I hope I can stay in Kuala Lumpur,' he said. 'I have received interest from many clubs but this place feels like home.' Malaysia coach Peter Cklamovski, who has been working to instil a sharp, aggressive attacking philosophy, was pleased with Josue's impact. 'Paulo delivered exactly what we spoke about,' said the Australian tactician. 'He came on and made an immediate impact.''
Sinar Daily
5 days ago
- Sport
- Sinar Daily
Paulo Josue urges Harimau Malaya fans to fill stadium despite Man Utd hype
For the record, 70,000 tickets have been sold for the English Premier League (EPL) giant's match against the Asean All-Stars, a team comprised of top players from across the region. Josue. Photo from Malaysia NT Facebook SHAH ALAM – Harimau Malaya naturalised player, Paulo Josue hopes fans will fill the Kuala Lumpur Football Stadium in Cheras to support the national squad as they face Cape Verde in an international friendly on Thursday. The experienced midfielder believes fan support is crucial for the squad led by Peter Cklamovski, even though the match takes place just a day after the high-profile game between Manchester United and the Asean All-Stars at the Bukit Jalil National Stadium. For the record, 70,000 tickets have been sold for the English Premier League (EPL) giant's match against the Asean All-Stars, a team comprised of top players from across the region. 'This is the first time Manchester United are back in Malaysia. The EPL is extremely popular here, with many fans watching their matches every morning or night. "Even though their EPL performance hasn't been very impressive lately, they're still a big global brand. I hope they enjoy their time in Kuala Lumpur, including the stadium atmosphere and the warm welcome from Malaysian fans. "At the same time, I also hope local football fans will come and support Harimau Malaya the next day. The presence of supporters means a lot to us,' he said during the pre-match press conference on Wednesday. The Kuala Lumpur City captain views the match against 72nd-ranked Cape Verde as an important test to gauge Harimau Malaya's true capabilities when facing a high-level team. 'It's definitely going to be tough for us, but matches like this are very important — playing against strong teams shows where we really stand in terms of physical and mental strength. "It's a big challenge, but it's something we must face. It'll also be a great experience for all of us. The opposing team will also be competing in the World Cup and have a higher ranking, as everyone knows. So, of course, it'll be a tough battle for us. But we're excited to take them on and see how big the gap really is between us and them,' he said. More Like This
Barnama
5 days ago
- Sport
- Barnama
The Long And Short Of Malaysia's Draw With Cape Verde, According To Josue
KUALA LUMPUR, May 30 (Bernama) -- Naturalised striker Paulo Josue has attributed Malaysia's 1-1 draw in the Tier 1 international friendly with Cape Verde last night to two factors: the long break before the match and the short training period. He said it was tough for them to regain match fitness after a month without any competitive matches since the 2024/2025 Malaysia League season ended in late April. To make matters worse, the Harimau Muda players only had 10 days of training before taking on world number 72 Cape Verde at the Kuala Lumpur Football Stadium in Cheras last night. bootstrap slideshow 'I can say that it was very hard to play after 30 days without any games. We only trained for about 10 days (training camp) and then we had this tough match to play. But, thank God everything went okay,' he told reporters after the friendly. In last night's clash, Josue came on as a substitute to emerge as the team's hero by scoring Malaysia's equaliser in the 79th minute, cancelling out Cape Verde's opener by Sidny Lopes Cabral in the eighth minute. Despite fitness concerns, the 36-year-old Brazilian-born midfielder praised the team's effort and tactical discipline, which enabled them to contain Cape Verde's aggression. 'The team did very well. We managed to hold their aggressiveness and control the midfield. Playing five at the back, plus four in the middle, gave them some trouble in the first half. 'Then the tactical changes made by the coach in the second half created scoring opportunities. Overall, it was a great game for us to assess where we are at the moment,' he said. Malaysia will face Cape Verde a second time in a friendly played behind closed doors at the National Stadium in Bukit Jalil on Tuesday (June 3).
The Sun
5 days ago
- Sport
- The Sun
The long and short of Malaysia's draw with Cape Verde, according to Josue
NATURALISED striker Paulo Josue has attributed Malaysia's 1-1 draw in the Tier 1 international friendly with Cape Verde last night to two factors: the long break before the match and the short training period. He said it was tough for them to regain match fitness after a month without any competitive matches since the 2024/2025 Malaysia League season ended in late April. To make matters worse, the Harimau Muda players only had 10 days of training before taking on world number 72 Cape Verde at the Kuala Lumpur Football Stadium in Cheras last night. 'I can say that it was very hard to play after 30 days without any games. We only trained for about 10 days (training camp) and then we had this tough match to play. But, thank God everything went okay,' he told reporters after the friendly. In last night's clash, Josue came on as a substitute to emerge as the team's hero by scoring Malaysia's equaliser in the 79th minute, cancelling out Cape Verde's opener by Sidny Lopes Cabral in the eighth minute. Despite fitness concerns, the 36-year-old Brazilian-born midfielder praised the team's effort and tactical discipline, which enabled them to contain Cape Verde's aggression. 'The team did very well. We managed to hold their aggressiveness and control the midfield. Playing five at the back, plus four in the middle, gave them some trouble in the first half. 'Then the tactical changes made by the coach in the second half created scoring opportunities. Overall, it was a great game for us to assess where we are at the moment,' he said. Malaysia will face Cape Verde a second time in a friendly played behind closed doors at the National Stadium in Bukit Jalil on Tuesday (June 3). The friendlies against Cape Verde are part of Malaysia's preparations for the crucial games against Vietnam in their second Group F match of the 2027 Asian Cup Qualifiers at the National Stadium on June 10. Vietnam and Malaysia jointly top the group with three points each after winning their opening matches.
The Sun
5 days ago
- Sport
- The Sun
Paulo Josue credits team effort in 1-1 draw with Cape Verde
NATURALISED striker Paulo Josue has attributed Malaysia's 1-1 draw in the Tier 1 international friendly with Cape Verde last night to two factors: the long break before the match and the short training period. He said it was tough for them to regain match fitness after a month without any competitive matches since the 2024/2025 Malaysia League season ended in late April. To make matters worse, the Harimau Muda players only had 10 days of training before taking on world number 72 Cape Verde at the Kuala Lumpur Football Stadium in Cheras last night. 'I can say that it was very hard to play after 30 days without any games. We only trained for about 10 days (training camp) and then we had this tough match to play. But, thank God everything went okay,' he told reporters after the friendly. In last night's clash, Josue came on as a substitute to emerge as the team's hero by scoring Malaysia's equaliser in the 79th minute, cancelling out Cape Verde's opener by Sidny Lopes Cabral in the eighth minute. Despite fitness concerns, the 36-year-old Brazilian-born midfielder praised the team's effort and tactical discipline, which enabled them to contain Cape Verde's aggression. 'The team did very well. We managed to hold their aggressiveness and control the midfield. Playing five at the back, plus four in the middle, gave them some trouble in the first half. 'Then the tactical changes made by the coach in the second half created scoring opportunities. Overall, it was a great game for us to assess where we are at the moment,' he said. Malaysia will face Cape Verde a second time in a friendly played behind closed doors at the National Stadium in Bukit Jalil on Tuesday (June 3). The friendlies against Cape Verde are part of Malaysia's preparations for the crucial games against Vietnam in their second Group F match of the 2027 Asian Cup Qualifiers at the National Stadium on June 10. Vietnam and Malaysia jointly top the group with three points each after winning their opening matches.
