A Russian national, Krestinin is now Kyrgyz Republic’s longest serving national team boss, while simultaneously coaching Premier League champions FC Dordoi, and led the nation to their first ever major tournament at the 2019 AFC Asian Cup in the United Arab Emirates.

In the first of a new series on the-AFC.com, Krestinin charts his course from the very beginning of his football career, including instant managerial success at PFC Neftchi Kockhor-Ata, transforming the fortunes of a national team, and – in his own words - how the Kyrgyz Republic became his Asian home.

Alexander Geynrikh was the player who dazzled in their Germany 2006 campaign, striking four times as his side stormed all the way through to the Asian play-off - only to lose out, heartbreakingly, to Bahrain on away goals. Then national legend Maksim Shatskikh rose to the occasion on the road to South Africa 2010, racking up eight goals to fire his side to the final qualifying round.

The Central Asians also came close in the Brazil 2014 preliminaries being edged out by Korea Republic on goal difference and, on that occasion, captain Server Djeparov led by example with outstanding performances that included four goals.

Following on from last week's acrobatic AFC Champions League goals, next up in the-AFC.com's '5 of the Best' series we recall five solo goals where players have taken matters into their own hands and produced the goods in emphatic style.

When Japan defeated China PR to be crowned continental champions in 2004, that was the first AFC Asian Cup final not to feature Saudi Arabia for 24 years. This incredible stat is perhaps the best testament to how dominant the Green Falcons had been in the last part of the 20th century.

The overwhelming backing of Member Associations, players and officials has seen numbers grow with close to 100 Asian football luminaries declaring their support behind the trending #BreakTheChain campaign.