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It is 1-36 for Indian women footballers

The cup of woe of Indian women footballers was overflowing today after they were mauled 0-16 by fancied China in a Group B encounter at the 13th Asian Games in Bangkok.

This was the third successive drubbing for the Indians who have so far conceded 36 goals, scoring just once (against Taiwan).

Touted as a medal prospect, the Indians danced to the Chinese tune and trailed 0-8 at the breather.

The rout would have been still more ignominious if China had converted all the 35 chances that came its way.

In their earlier matches, India lost 0-7 to South Korea and 1-13 to Taiwan.

For China the goals came through Yan Jin (6), Ying Liu (3), Ailing Liu (2), Jie Bai (2), Li Hong Zhao, Wen Sun and Haiyan Qiu.

The Chinese took hardly any time to settle down and got their first goal in the fifth minute through Ying Liu. What followed was a deluge.

The ball was in the Indian half throughout and the Chinese goalkeeper Yunji Fan was tested just once in the entire match.

A minute after Liu's goal, the score went up when Jie Bai got the first of her two goals.

The Chinese used the Indian goal for target practice for their semi-final round as Yan Jin began her count in the 14th minute. Yan got five more, four of them in the second half.

Five minutes before half-time, goalkeeper Chintham was replaced by R Wangkhem, but that did not make any difference as the Chinese kept the scoreboard ticking till just five minutes before the final whistle.

The Indians, who came to the Games by virtue of their seventh position in the recent Asian Championship, would certainly like to forget their appearance here.

UNI