KUALA LUMPUR: The future of Harimau Malaya may have just taken its first confident stride against Cape Verde and it came in the form of two debutants - Ubaidullah Samsul Fazili and Gabriel Palmero.
While the international friendly ended in a 1-1 draw at the Cheras Football Stadium on Thursday, it was the composure and promise shown by Ubaidullah and Palmero that stole the headlines and the trust of national coach Peter Cklamovski.
Ubaidullah, a 21-year-old centreback from Terengganu, was handed his first senior cap and he grew into the game in the most encouraging fashion.
The nerves were evident in the opening 45 minutes but the second half belonged to him. With each tackle, pass, and confident surge from the backline, he embodied the spirit of a defender coming of age.
“I am proud to wear the colours of the nation,” said Ubaidullah.
“This was my first game for Malaysia, so there were jitters, especially in the first half. I made some mistakes but during half-time, the coaches and teammates reminded me to play my game. That gave me the push I needed.”
By full-time, he had earned the man-of-the-match award, a testament to the composure he displayed against a team ranked 72nd in the world. His maturity belied his age.
“Football is about using every chance that comes your way. You are never a finished product - every day, you’re learning,” he added.
“I enjoy playing in a back three and have done it for my club and the Under-23s. The intensity at the international level is higher but I will adapt.”
His performance will only add to his growing stock, with reports of potential loan moves to Thailand surfacing earlier this year.
On the other side of the pitch, Palmero - the Spanish-born wingback from CD Tenerife - brought composure and clarity on the flanks.
The 23-year-old’s touches were clean, his positioning intelligent, and his connection with teammates seamless, despite this being his first outing in Malaysian colours.
“I can do better,” Palmero said humbly.
“I keep working to be the best version of myself. But football is a language, and I try to speak it fluently. Malaysia is in my heart.”
Cklamovski, known for his focus on development and detail, was impressed by both players.
“We had six Under-21 players in our first phase. They’ve all shown the right mentality and adjusted to the intensity we demand,” said the Australian tactician.
“Ubaidullah showed strong character. If we’re talking about five years down the line, at a World Cup, he will be at the perfect age to peak. This is the mentality we want.”
‘’As for Palmero, he came from Spain, prepared well and connected with the group.
‘‘It’s not easy facing a world-class opponent in your first match, but he put in a solid individual performance.”
