Holgado could be Harimau Malaya's secret weapon, says critic
KUALA LUMPUR: The potential inclusion of Colombia-based striker Rodrigo Holgado in the national team could be a game-changer for Harimau Malaya in their Asian Cup qualifier against Vietnam in Bukit Jalil on June 10.
Malaysia has lacked a reliable goalscorer in recent years and has often had to rely on naturalised midfielders such as Paulo Josue, Sergio Aguero and Romel Morales, who have been converted into strikers.
Brazil-born Josue has scored eight goals in 25 matches since 2023, Argentina-born Aguero has netted three in 17 matches since 2022, while Colombia-born Morales has two goals from nine appearances since making his debut this year.
Holgado, 29, boasts a solid track record with América de Cali, having scored 17 goals in 44 appearances since joining the Colombian side in 2024, credentials that could make him a perfect fit for Malaysia.
Football critic Dr Zulakbal Abdul Karim believes the national team must do everything necessary to secure qualification for the Asian Cup, including strengthening its forward line.
"I've read about this new candidate (Holgado) for the national team. I'm not sure if it's confirmed that he'll play for Malaysia, but it seems the team management is working hard to bolster the squad for the Asian Cup qualifiers," said Zulakbal.
"We still don't have a credible natural striker. We've had to convert midfielders to lead the attack but I still feel we need an out-and-out striker.
"We have to qualify for the Asian Cup and I can see the management is leaving no stone unturned to make it happen.
"For me, it's an acceptable move. We must qualify at any cost. Our football is not perfect but the priority now is qualification."
Zulakbal, who holds an AFC Professional Coaching Diploma, added that integrating Holgado into the squad quickly and effectively will be crucial.
And if everything falls into place, the Argentina-born forward could be Malaysia's secret weapon against Vietnam.
"He's based in Colombia, so there's the challenge of a long flight, adapting to the team, the weather, football culture and the national training system — it won't be easy," said Zulakbal.
"Now it's up to the national team management to speed up his acclimatisation. I believe we have the right experts to help him settle in smoothly.
"If everything goes well, we might have a surprise package in Holgado. Vietnam probably doesn't know much about him."
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Sun
10 hours ago
- The Sun
Rachel Arnold falls short in Asian Squash final Again
NATIONAL squash player Rachel Arnold's struggle to end Malaysia's decade-long drought as the women's champion of the Asian Individual Squash Championship, once again failed when she lost to Hong Kong's Ho Tze Lok in the final of the 23rd edition at the Sarawak Squash Centre in Petra Jaya today. The world 19th-ranked player had to accept the superiority of her opponent after losing 4-11, 12-10, 4-11, 0-11 in a 36-minute match. The Kuala Lumpur-born player put up a tremendous fight in the second set but failed to curb the continuous pressure of the Hong Kong player who appeared more consistent and sharp in her shots. 'I am a bit disappointed with my performance in the final... I admit the pressure was quite high and I feel I was unable to adapt to the court conditions today. 'She (Ho) played really well today. She was putting me under a lot of pressure. Every time she did that, I would just sort of go for it. Now I think maybe I should have just stayed calm in those situations,' said the 29-year-old player, who also admitted that the hot weather was a big challenge throughout the match. Malaysia's all-time great Datuk Nicol Ann David, the queen of squash who is also a nine-time Asian champion, was the last national female player to win the tournament in 2015. At the 2021 edition in Islamabad, Pakistan, Rachel's dream of winning the title was also extinguished after losing to Hong Kong player Tong Tsz Wing in the final. Even though her maiden Asian title is still elusive, Rachel is determined to continue to stay in the hunt for gold in the next edition. 'My goal is still to get the title, eventually... I am aiming towards getting a better ranking in the PSA (Professional Squash Association). I think of breaking into the top 10 in the end, that is my main goal,' she said.
The Sun
10 hours ago
- The Sun
Rachel falls short again in quest for Asian title
NATIONAL squash player Rachel Arnold's struggle to end Malaysia's decade-long drought as the women's champion of the Asian Individual Squash Championship, once again failed when she lost to Hong Kong's Ho Tze Lok in the final of the 23rd edition at the Sarawak Squash Centre in Petra Jaya today. The world 19th-ranked player had to accept the superiority of her opponent after losing 4-11, 12-10, 4-11, 0-11 in a 36-minute match. The Kuala Lumpur-born player put up a tremendous fight in the second set but failed to curb the continuous pressure of the Hong Kong player who appeared more consistent and sharp in her shots. 'I am a bit disappointed with my performance in the final... I admit the pressure was quite high and I feel I was unable to adapt to the court conditions today. 'She (Ho) played really well today. She was putting me under a lot of pressure. Every time she did that, I would just sort of go for it. Now I think maybe I should have just stayed calm in those situations,' said the 29-year-old player, who also admitted that the hot weather was a big challenge throughout the match. Malaysia's all-time great Datuk Nicol Ann David, the queen of squash who is also a nine-time Asian champion, was the last national female player to win the tournament in 2015. At the 2021 edition in Islamabad, Pakistan, Rachel's dream of winning the title was also extinguished after losing to Hong Kong player Tong Tsz Wing in the final. Even though her maiden Asian title is still elusive, Rachel is determined to continue to stay in the hunt for gold in the next edition. 'My goal is still to get the title, eventually... I am aiming towards getting a better ranking in the PSA (Professional Squash Association). I think of breaking into the top 10 in the end, that is my main goal,' she said.
Barnama
11 hours ago
- Barnama
Rachel Falls Short Again In Quest For Asian Title
National squash player Rachel Arnold (top left) fell short in her bid to end Malaysia's decade-long title drought in the women's category of the 23rd Asian Individual Squash Championships after losing to Hong Kong's Ho Tze Lok (second, top left) in the final at the Sarawak Squash Centre, Petra Jaya. KUCHING, June 21 (Bernama) -- National squash player Rachel Arnold's struggle to end Malaysia's decade-long drought as the women's champion of the Asian Individual Squash Championship, once again failed when she lost to Hong Kong's Ho Tze Lok in the final of the 23rd edition at the Sarawak Squash Centre in Petra Jaya today. The world 19th-ranked player had to accept the superiority of her opponent after losing 4-11, 12-10, 4-11, 0-11 in a 36-minute match. The Kuala Lumpur-born player put up a tremendous fight in the second set but failed to curb the continuous pressure of the Hong Kong player who appeared more consistent and sharp in her shots. bootstrap slideshow 'I am a bit disappointed with my performance in the final... I admit the pressure was quite high and I feel I was unable to adapt to the court conditions today. 'She (Ho) played really well today. She was putting me under a lot of pressure. Every time she did that, I would just sort of go for it. Now I think maybe I should have just stayed calm in those situations,' said the 29-year-old player, who also admitted that the hot weather was a big challenge throughout the match. Malaysia's all-time great Datuk Nicol Ann David, the queen of squash who is also a nine-time Asian champion, was the last national female player to win the tournament in 2015. At the 2021 edition in Islamabad, Pakistan, Rachel's dream of winning the title was also extinguished after losing to Hong Kong player Tong Tsz Wing in the final. Even though her maiden Asian title is still elusive, Rachel is determined to continue to stay in the hunt for gold in the next edition. 'My goal is still to get the title, eventually... I am aiming towards getting a better ranking in the PSA (Professional Squash Association). I think of breaking into the top 10 in the end, that is my main goal," she said.
