***I DON’T HAVE FIFA’S PRIOR WRITTEN CONSENT TO USE, TALK, THINK OR YELL AT RANDOS FROM MY BALCONY ABOUT ANY NAMES, COUNTRIES OR EVENTS MENTIONED IN MY QATAR 2022 COVERAGE, SO FOR COPYRIGHT REASONS, FROM HERE ON IN, THE EVENT WILL BE REFERRED TO AS QLAMQTAR 2022***
MONG KOK, HONG KONG–Back in August 2020, Laos bowed out of World Cup qualification contention, but really, the damage was done when they lost 4-0 to Hong Kong in friendly 3 years prior. Despite heroics from their goalkeeper and his subsequent life ban. Inthavongsa made several impressive saves, including one from the penalty spot (and another near-penalty save) but it was not enough for his team to continue their fight for a world cup spot and for the goalkeeper to continue being allowed to legally play football anymore.
Four Laos players received life bans from the Asian Football Confederation after they were found to have conspired to fix the result of the fixture in Hong Kong. It came after the confederation had only recently banned 3 Tajikistan players and one from Krzygystan for similar manipulation.
While Inthavongsa’s performance between the posts in the decisive match against the Hong Kongers was almost enough to thwart their attack, ultimately he was not able to prevent the four goals being scored, his team going down or the 1 life ban being handed down upon him.
Bummer!