KUALA LUMPUR: Former Real Madrid starc scored on his debut for Johor Darul Ta'zim (JDT) in the whooping 8-0 win over Singapore's Balestier Khalsa in a friendly match yesterday.
Rodriguez took the field in the second half at the Sultan Ibrahim Stadium and put the cherry on the cake with the last goal of the match in the 83rd minute.
JDT's other goals were scored by Bergson da Silva (fourth, 18th and 63rd minutes), Oscar Arribas (10th), Heberty Fernandes (46th and 58th) and Gabriel Nistelrooy (81st).
Jese, a two-time UEFA Champions League winner, expressed his happiness on his social media pages, saying he was pleased to be playing football again.
The Spaniard also extended his gratitude to JDT's owner, the Regent of Johor, Tunku Ismail Sultan Ibrahim, as well as his teammates and the fans.
"Happy for the team's victory and many thanks to the great fans for their affection and welcome.
"I thank the boss and his team for helping me feel like a footballer again, and even for helping me find the goal again today. We have a very nice path to take together. LET'S GO TEAM," posted the 31-year-old on his Instagram page.
The Southern Tigers are preparing for their Asian Champions League Elite (ACLE) match against Gwangju in South Korea on Oct 22.
JDT head coach Hector Bidoglio fielded several players from their ACLE squad against Balestier to maintain their match fitness during the international break.