Deki Lhazom

Deki Lhazom is a Bhutanese professional footballer who plays as a forward for Saudi Women's Premier League club Al-Ittihad and the Bhutan women's national team.[1][2] She is the joint highest goal scorer of Bhutan's senior national team with 3 goals.

Deki Lhazom
Personal information
Date of birth (2004-01-04) 4 January 2004
Place of birth Trashigang, Bhutan
Position(s) Forward
Team information
Current team
 Al-Ittihad
Youth career
2017–2022 Gelephu Football Academy
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2022– Al-Ittihad 8 (2)
International career‡
2022– Bhutan 5 (3)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 22:21, 12 February 2023 (UTC)
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 22:21, 12 February 2023 (UTC)

Club career

Lhazom began playing football at age eight. She was noticed by a district coach while playing for her school club. She was then invited to the 2017 Milo Cup before entering into the women's academy in Gelephu.[3]

After impressing in senior international friendlies against Saudi Arabia, she was offered a contract with Al-Ittihad of the Saudi Women's Premier League. By joining the club, she became the first female Bhutanese player in history to play abroad.[3] The Bhutan Football Federation reported that it was initially a one-year contract worth $3000 USD or about Nu. 240,000 per month.[4]

International career

Lhazom made her international debut at the 2017 SAFF U-15 Women's Championship. She went on to appear in every SAFF youth tournament through 2022.[3] She scored against Nepal at the 2019 edition of the tournament.[5] The goal helped Nepal secure its only point in the competition, ultimately failing to advance to the knockout rounds.[6]

In December 2019 Lhazom was part of the under-15 national team that competed in a pair of friendlies away to Nepal. Lhazom scored her nation's only goal in the opening 1–6 defeat.[7]

Lhazom made her senior international debut on 6 September 2022 against Nepal in the 2022 SAFF Women's Championship. Her first two senior international goals came against Sri Lanka on 10 September 2022 in the same competition. The match ended in a 5–0 victory.[8][9] The result set several records for the team, including largest margin of victory and first win, multi-goal victory, and shutout in the tournament.[10]

In September 2022 she scored a goal and impressed in a set of international friendlies away to Saudi Arabia.[11][12]

Career statistics

International
As of match played 28 September 2022
YearsAppsGoal
202253
Total53

Senior

Scores and results list Bhutan's goal tally first.

No.DateVenueOpponentScoreResultCompetition
1.9 September 2022Dasarath Rangasala, Kathmandu, Nepal Sri Lanka2–05–02022 SAFF Women's Championship
2.3–0
3.28 September 2022Prince Sultan bin Abdul Aziz Stadium, Abha, Saudi Arabia Saudi Arabia4–14–2Friendly
Last updated 10 February 2023

Youth

Scores and results list Bhutan's goal tally first.

No.DateVenueOpponentScoreResultCompetition
1.13 October 2019Changlimithang Stadium, Thimphu, Bhutan   Nepal1–11–12019 SAFF U-15 Women's Championship
2.23 December 2019ANFA Complex, Lalitpur, Nepal1–21–6Friendly
3.8 March 2023Petra Stadium, Amman, Jordan Lebanon2–52–62024 AFC U-20 Women's Asian Cup qualification
4.12 March 2023 Mongolia1–04–0
5.2–0
6.3–0
7.4–0
Last updated 23 March 2023

References
  1. "Deki Lhazom". nepal90.com. Retrieved 10 September 2022.
  2. "NATIONAL TEAMS". bhutanfootball.com.
  3. Choki, Pema. "Deki Lhazom is 1st Bhutanese woman to play in a foreign league". The Bhutanese. Retrieved 12 February 2023.
  4. Dawa, Chenga. "Deki Lhazom- First Bhutanese female footballer to sign for a foreign club". BBS. Retrieved 12 February 2023.
  5. "SAFF U15 Championship: Nepal Plays Stalemate With Bhutan". Goal Nepal. Retrieved 12 February 2023.
  6. "Bhutan holds Nepal to 1-1 draw". My Republica. Retrieved 12 February 2023.
  7. "Nepal U15 Girls Team Beats Bhutan U15 Girls In First Friendly Match". Gola Nepal. Retrieved 12 February 2023.
  8. "साफ च्याम्पियनसिप– ऐतिहासिक जितसँगै भुटान सेमिफाइनलमा". nepal90.com (in Nepali). Retrieved 10 September 2022.
  9. Dhambarage, Chris. "Bhutan rout SL 5-0". Sri Lanka Daily News. Retrieved 12 February 2023.
  10. "Bhutan defeat Sri Lanka in record win". All Nepal Football Association. Retrieved 12 February 2023.
  11. Namgay, Thinley. "From the mountains to the Saudi desert". Kuensel. Retrieved 12 February 2023.
  12. Soumitra, Bose. "Why Bhutan's women footballers are in fast forward mode". FIFA. Retrieved 12 February 2023.
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