Former Braga and Sporting striker Paulinho is the top goalscorer in the Mexican top flight after seven rounds, following his most recent strike in Toluca’s 4-0 win over Tijuana.
Paulinho rounded off the scoring in the victory for Renato Paiva’s side, making it 5 goals scored in 7 matches since he moved to Liga MX from Sporting for a reported €8m transfer fee in June.
It means Paulinho leads the top scorers chart by one goal from a host of players who have scored four times. The 31-year-old is already establishing himself as a pure penalty-box finisher, which had been cited as a role badly lacking by Toluca prior to his arrival.
Paulinho is the top goalscorer in the Mexican league with 5 goals from the first 7 matches 🔥🇵🇹 pic.twitter.com/st7rEhCRg3
— Sean Gillen (@SeanGillen9) September 15, 2024
Manager Paiva, who was reported to be on Benfica’s shortlist for their recent managerial vacancy, has Toluca in 2nd place in the standings, two points behind pacesetters Cruz Azul. Speaking after the match, Paiva was delighted with the way his team dismantled what could have been a tough opponent in Tijuana, who had been enjoying a solid start to the campaign.
“I am very happy with the volume of play, the opportunities created,” Paiva said. “I would leave here very sad if we didn't create so many opportunities. If you create them, they will end up going in. So I am very happy, a great game by the boys but just three points.
“I really appreciate the clean sheet today. Tijuana is a team that has fought difficult matches, plays well, its coach (Juan Osorio) is not exactly unknown, he is a coach with a long career, with a lot of history and very respectable, who works very well and you can see how the team plays, so that makes the work of the boys even more valuable.”
Paiva’s chances of success have been further bolstered by the signing of Brazilian forward Helinho from RB Bragantino, who was paraded on the field before the match. The Toluca boss admits that the resources available increase the pressure to deliver at the Estadio Nemesio Díez, where there has been a trophy drought since they last won the Mexican title in 2010.
“So far what we have gained is the arrival of quality players,” Paiva told reporters. “Now it is our part to bring the players together, connect, work with them, ask for the time that is necessary to work with them so that this really becomes more of a family. Not a team, a family. I want the pressure to win and I want my players to have that pressure to win. This is not about dreams, it is about objectives, it is an objective assumed by everyone.”
By @SeanGillen9
