Warming up nicely: Paulo Josue (left) at a training session in Doha yesterday. — FAM
PETALING JAYA: There won’t be anything friendly about the Malaysian football team’s closed-door friendly match against Syria in Doha, Qatar, today.
Coach Kim Pan-gon’s Harimau Malaya intend to create a winning momentum before their Asian Cup Group E opener against Jordan at the Al-Janoub Stadium on Jan 15.
Naturalised midfielder Paulo Josue knows the score as the prestigious tournament draws closer.
And getting a win over Syria will be a huge confidence booster for the team before they take on the big guns.
“We want to win this game. Syria are a tough team that’s ranked higher than us,” said the 34-year-old Brazilian.
“A win will give us much confidence when we face our opponents in the Asian Cup. We are the underdogs, and we will be out to spring some surprises.
“I’m here to help the team create some upsets. The coach brought me here for a reason and whether I play 15, 20, 30 or 90 minutes, I’ll do my part to the best of my ability.”
Josue said that arriving early in Qatar was a big help for the players to adapt to the weather and pitch conditions.
“We’re getting used to the weather and pitch. The ball moves faster on the pitches here and it’s a good thing we’re here early to adapt to that.’’
Josue added that Pan-Gon is really pushing the players through their paces at training as the South Korean demands high intensity to ensure they are ready to give the higher-ranked sides a run for their money.
“We must be in tip-top shape and fully fit to play under his system. But so far, all of us have shown that we can cope with his demands.’’
Josue, of course, will be a key performer for Malaysia in Doha, given his visionary passing and expertise in the set-pieces.
He featured in six of Malaysia’s matches last year where he scored four goals.
If Josue can bring that form to Doha and work his magic in midfield, Malaysia can surely fancy their chances of making it to the last 16.
