V-League Focus: Evaldo Goncalves

Name: Evaldo Rodrigues Goncalves
DOB: 10/01/1981
Club: HAGL

If you have a chance to ask HAGL boss Kiatisuk Senamuang which one of his players makes him pleased most at the moment, there would be no surprise if the answer is Evaldo Goncalves. And I'm sure HAGL fans also share the same opinion.

HAGL doesn't have many good strikers in this season and all the hope in front was put on Evaldo. From what we has seen, undoubtedly he is driving his club forward. With 9 goals in 11 games of V-League 2010, Evaldo is now leading in top goal-scorers chart along side Da Nang's Gaston Merlo. And the award of Best Player of April was a fair applause for him.

(Pic from haglfc.net)

Let's go back a few years to know more about him. According to some sources, Evaldo started his football career with a Chinese Super League club naming Xiamen Lanshi in 2000. However, from 2001 to 2005, there was not much info about him or maybe he didn't play football professionally during that period. In 2006, he played for Uniao Bandeirante in Brazil and then moved to a few more domestic clubs such as Caldense, America RJ and Joinville in the next 2 years. Joinville was later disbanded after relegated from Serie C in 2008 and Evaldo switched to V-League at that time.

When Evaldo joined HAGL in 2009, he was regarded as cover for another Brazilian striker Agostinho, who had been the club's main scorer since 2008. Nevertheless, Agostinho was suddenly fired due to a conflict with Lee Nguyen, a new signing (who was also fired early this year) at that point of time. The departure of Agostinho meant HAGL had no more choice but Evaldo in forward position. When the chances came, he made it to score 11 goals in V-League 2009 and some of them were extremely important ones.

(Pic from haglfc.net)

After a successful season, at least for himself, Evaldo decided to bring his whole family to Vietnam in order to focus more on his job. Regarding his contribution since the beginning of 2010 season, HAGL board are understandably happy, not only because of his goals but also his professional behaviour. He is becoming a new symbol of the club on Central Highland.