Odisha FC started their AFC Womens Champions League group-stage campaign on a nightmarish note as they were mauled 17-0 by Urawa Red Diamonds Ladies of Japan in a Group-C match at Thong Nhat Stadium in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam today.

Barring an abortive solo attack by their Ghanaian forward Jennifer Yeboa, the Bhubaneswar-based Odisha FC women were forced to play within their own half throughout the match as the merciless Japanese side scored without respite. Miki Ito and Yuzuho Shiokoshi scored a hat-trick each for the winners.

The defeat margin would have been bigger for the Indian team if their goalkeeper Shreya Hooda had not made a number of acrobatic saves. Kiran Pisda was another Odisha FC player who displayed commendable performance throughout the match.

Urawa come into this fixture with three wins from their last five outings in their national league (WE League), boasting a potent attacking lineup led by the likes of Shimada, Fujisaki, Shiokoshi, Tsunoda, and Seike. Odisha FC were also a confident unit, having secured a spot in the group stage with a 4-1 win over Lion City Sailors Singapore and a 2-1 triumph against Etihad Club of Jordan. But the 17-0 scoreline today proved that the Japanese women were just too good.

Of course, Odisha FC today badly missed the absences of Grace Hauhnar, who was serving a five-match ban due to a red card. They will be eager to regroup and seek redemption in their next match against Ho Chi Minh City Womens FC of Vietnam at the same venue on October 9.

RESULT: Urawa Red Diamonds Ladies, Japan (Yu Endo 5, Satoko Fujisaki 9, Ena Takatsuka 13, Yuzuho Shiokoshi 15, 18, 30, Mei Shimada 17, 44, Ririka Tanno 52, Akari Kurishima 54, Fuka Tsunoda 68, Ami Takeuchi 83, Miki Ito 56, 59, 62, 94+4) beat Odisha FC (Maryam Ibrahim 66-OG) 17-0.