Denilson scores on Vietnam debut: reports

Former Brazilian international Denilson scored in his Vietnam debut on Sunday after disappointing fans by sitting out two earlier matches following his high-profile signing, reports said.

Denilson wasted little time in repaying his fans at Hai Phong Cement Football Club, scoring from a free-kick in the first minute of Sunday’s match, the state Sports and Culture newspaper said on its website.

Denilson, whom his club claims to be the most famous international footballer ever recruited by a Vietnamese side, also assisted in the team’s second goal and played throughout the first half, the report said.

The Brazilian’s efforts helped Hai Phong Cement to a 3-1 victory at home to Hoang Anh Gia Lai in the V-League.

There had been uncertainty over whether Denilson, once the world’s most expensive footballer, would be part of the lineup on Sunday.

Thirty thousand fans packed the team’s stadium early this month in expectation that he would play in the first match after his signing. When Denilson instead sat in the stands while his team lost, anger escalated and some supporters burned stadium seats.

Denilson then reportedly announced that he had an unspecified injury. He sat out one more match — which the club also lost — and was vague about when he would play.

Denilson’s goal “has removed the huge pressure from the fans and has encouraged him to play in the coming matches”, Hai Phong coach Vuong Tien Dung was quoted as saying in the Sports and Culture report.

But Dung said his star player was lucky to be in a position to score, “as he has not recovered yet”.

Denilson was a member of Brazil’s 2002 World Cup-winning squad.