The Western Sydney Wanderers have been defeated 4-0 by Urawa Red Diamonds in their first group stage match of their 2017 Champions League campaign at Campbelltown Stadium on Tuesday night.
A quartet of second half goals by the visitors stunned the Wanderers who will need to bounce back quickly before next Tuesday’s trip to Shanghai SIPG.
Tony Popovic made a host of changes to the side that beat Sydney FC on Saturday, including handing youth player Abraham Majok his debut for the senior team.
Urawa started the game strongly, Muto Yuki testing Vedran Janjetovic early.
Kearyn Baccus attempted to break ground for the Red & Black but his through ball to debutant Majok on the edge of the box was just out of reach.
Majok would come closest to breaking the deadlock in the first half, slotting home after latching on to a ball in behind the defence, though it was correctly disallowed for offside.
It Was Urawa who went ahead soon after the result, as some excellent play from Lee Tandori split the Wanderers defence leaving Kohrogi Shinzoh to tuck the ball home.
Lee then turned goalscorer just two minutes later, doubling his side’s lead with a smart volley from close range.
The onslaught continued when Tomoaki Makino found a third for the traveling side, before substitute Rafael da Silva sealed the victory with a fourth and final goal for the Japanese giants.
The loss was a tough start for the Western Sydney Wanderers in their third continental campaign, who will now switch their focus to the domestic competition, where they’ll play against Perth Glory on Saturday evening at NIB Stadium.
