Fabio Vieira made a big impression on his home debut for Hamburger SV on Saturday, providing an assist in their first league win of the season.
After a disappointing but predictable debut defeat for Fabio Vieira away to Bayern Munich last week, the Arsenal loanee got to make his first appearance in front of the Hamburger SV home support on Saturday.
HSV were without a win in their first three league games of the season, but they were up against a Heidenheim side also searching for their first three points. Unlike the Bayern match, the win was definitely up for grabs.
Vieira stepped up to the task, completing 96% of his passes, creating three chances including two big chances and one assist, and even having four shots.
It was a very busy appearance, and the midfielder left the pitch to a standing ovation after 79 minutes with his team 2-0 up.
Vieira won the free-kick that led to the opening goal, then set up the second. For the assist, the 25-year-old scrambled away from pressure before playing the ball out to the right wing and making a darting run into the penalty area.
The Arsenal loanee was found with the return pass, and he whipped a low cross into the six-yard box with his right foot, giving Rayan Philippe a one-touch finish for 2-0.
Though HSV conceded a late consolation, they came away with a 2-1 win to leap up out of the relegation zone and into 14th place.
“We haven’t had someone like him at the Volkspark for a long time,” HSV stadium announcer Christian Stübinger said as Vieira came off.
“Fabio has helped us tremendously because he can control the game and give us peace of mind,” HSV teammate Daniel Heuer Fernandes said after the match. “Those are exactly the moments we need.”
Team manager Merlin Polzin agreed, adding: “Fabio is a player who can make the difference; he’s an absolute asset. He always manages to use his teammates well. That’s why we decided to let him start in the center.”
As a reminder, Hamburg have a purchase option in Vieira’s contract in the region of €20m. The better he plays, the more likely the club might actually activate it and make his transfer permanent.
“We were looking for this win to gain confidence in the team and the club,” Vieira himself said in a post-match interview. “Also for the fans. Their support today was fantastic.
“Now we have to enjoy this victory, relax. And then we’ll think about the next game.”