KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia’s midfielder Paulo Josue underlined the vital role of resilience and teamwork in their narrow 3-2 victory over Timor-Leste during the 2024 ASEAN Cup Group A match at the National Stadium in Bukit Jalil.
According to BERNAMA News Agency, Josue acknowledged that Malaysia encountered unexpected difficulties, including a robust performance and a solid defensive line from Timor-Leste, which hindered Harimau Malaya’s efforts to maximize scoring opportunities in the first half. The midfielder emphasized the importance of securing the three points despite the challenges faced. He noted that Malaysia struggled to manage the game effectively in the first half and missed chances to score more goals, which increased pressure on the team.
“In the second half, we showed our character and how strong we are. We worked as a team and kept fighting. Thank God we got the three points. Now, we need to focus on our next game against Thailand and fight for a good result there,” Josue expressed during the po
st-match press conference.
The 34-year-old player remarked that Malaysia had a physical advantage, particularly as Timor-Leste contended with fitness issues in the latter half of the match. He also recognized the challenges posed by limited training time and pressure on younger players during the game. Josue stated that some younger players felt the pressure, but the team was there to support and guide them.
Josue further emphasized the significance of unity and concentration as Malaysia gears up to face Thailand in their upcoming Group A match. Last night’s match saw Harimau Malaya narrowly avoid an upset against Timor-Leste, ranked 196th globally, as they came from behind to clinch the win.
Naturalized striker Paulo Josue played a pivotal role, scoring two goals in the second half to shift the momentum after Timor-Leste led 2-1 at halftime. Malaysia initially took the lead with a volley by forward Muhammad Syafiq Ahmad in the 38th minute, while Timor-Leste’s goals were netted by Olagar Xavier and captain
Joao Pedro during first-half injury time.
Malaysia is set to face Thailand in Bangkok for their next 2024 ASEAN Cup Group A match at Rajamangala National Stadium this Saturday.