Laos captain Bounphachan Bounkong scored the first goal in FIFA ASEAN Cup history

Somebody had to score the first goal the FIFA ASEAN Cup ever saw, and it was the Laos captain, from the penalty spot, inside four minutes of the opening match.

FIFA’s own interview with Bounphachan Bounkong records that he is the first player to have scored at the tournament, having converted that penalty in a 3-1 win over Brunei.

The knee

What makes the goal more than a footnote is where the man taking it had been. FIFA writes that he ruptured a cruciate ligament in his left knee less than three months before the match.

He told FIFA the recovery came down to one thing: “It was all about hard work to make sure that I got my knee back to full strength.” He added, “No surgery, just hard work”.

His coach, who FIFA says lives near him in Vientiane and watched the daily work, had not expected him to be available at all. “He is not only our captain, but he is so important in inspiring the team,” the coach said, and on the goal itself: “I know how good he is with those and I don’t even need to look when he takes them.”

A young side around him

FIFA’s account has Laos starting the match with six debutants, the goalkeeper and the whole back three among them. Bounphachan’s own read on that is pride rather than worry: “We have a lot of young players and I’m just so proud of them,” he said.

The nickname, and the next match

Asked about being known as The Chicken, he told FIFA it came from his father and that he has never worked out why.

Laos play Hong Kong, China at Kai Tak Stadium on 27 September, kicking off at 15:00 Malaysian time. It is their last Division 2 group match, and the one that decides what the opening win was worth.

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