PETALING JAYA: For Harimau Malaya coach Peter Cklamovski, there’s no better time than now to take the hard road. Malaysia, ranked No. 131, take on world No. 75 Cape Verde at the Cheras Stadium tomorrow (May 29) and the Australian tactician has emphasised his belief that facing high-ranked opponents is the only way forward. "Full respect to the opponent. We are bringing in an opponent that is a massive challenge, especially given where we are, with most coming from off-season," said Cklamovski ahead of the international friendly. "It is a helluva challenge but we want this because this means growth. There will be positives and negatives and we will learn. There are no short cuts to going up, so we have to face these opponents." Cape Verde, who are currently in the hunt for a spot in the 2026 World Cup and ranked significantly higher than Malaysia, present a stern test — one that Cklamovski welcomes as part of the long-term development process. "We’ve got an exciting game against a tough opponent. Despite the off-season, the players joined the camp in good condition and looked sharp. We hope to put on a show for the fans," he added. "The Vietnam game on June 10 is too far away for me to plan. What’s important is the next match. Whoever, whenever, wherever we play, we want to put in a strong game." With the squad still adjusting after the domestic season, the fixture against Cape Verde acts as a key reference point ahead of their World Cup qualifying clash against Vietnam next month. Midfielder turned striker Paulo Josue echoed his coach’s sentiments, acknowledging the difficulty of the task but appreciating its significance. "It will be a rough game for us because we are coming off the off-season. It wouldn’t be easy to take on Cape Verde," said the naturalised Brazilian. "But it’s important to have this kind of match to see our shape physically and mentally. We are facing a side that’s fighting to be in the World Cup. We want to see how far we are from them." Josue, who plays for Kuala Lumpur, is also looking forward to performing in familiar surroundings. "It is nice to play in Cheras once again after a full season. The staff gave us good information on Cape Verde and Vietnam. It’s the best platform to see where we are before the crunch game." Cklamovski has also set an ambitious tone in the dressing room, demanding leadership from every player - not just the seniors. "There are 11 captains on the field. I see everybody for who they are. There are seniors in the group but we are building a mentality of 11 captains on the field, and in training, there are 30 captains. "We try to play our best football. It is a simple one for us. We do everything better every day. This is like a pre-season. Players may think I am crazy but we see big growth out of it."