Headscarves fail to mask Asian women's class gap

Jordan's midfielder Abeer Al Nahar heads the ball during the training session prior to their women's preliminary round group A football match of the Asian Games against Japan at the Al-Arabi Football Stadium in Doha. Jordan marked their women's international football debut by fielding three headscarfed-players before slumping to an embarrassing 13-0 defeat to Japan.

Jordan marked their women's international football debut by fielding three headscarfed-players before slumping to an embarrassing 13-0 defeat to Japan at the Asian Games.

The Jordanians were humiliated by the technically-gifted and far fitter Japanese who dominated from start to finish and who could have easily added to their haul.

China's 16-0 defeat of India in 1998 and North Korea's 15-0 win over Thailand in the same event remain the leading results.

Asian champions China and defending Asian Games gold medallists North Korea were also in ruthless mood.

China crushed Thailand 7-0 with North Korea seeing off Vietnam 5-0.

South Korea had the toughest task of the day scraping out a 2-0 win against Taiwan.

"It was the first time we've played against a team with players wearing veils," said Japan's Eriko Arakawa.

But her teammates were far from distracted by being confronted with the white headscarves as they racked up the third biggest win in Asian Games history.

Mizuho Sakaguchi (4), Homare Sawa (3), Miyuki Yanagita (2), Aya Miyama, Akiko Sudo, Eriko Arakawa and Tomoe Sakai were all on target with the hapless Qamar Saadeddin bearing the brunt of the deluge in goal.

"Let's be realistic," said Jordan coach Issa al Turk. "It was like a child competing against a big man."

Han Duan scored a first-half hat-trick as China put seven past the Thais.

Wang Kun, Yuan Fan (2) and Wang Dandan completed the rout.

North Korea's goals against Vietnam came from Kil Son-hui (2), Ri Un-gyong, Kim Kyong-hwa and Ri Kum-suk.

Ji So-yun scored both of South Korea's goals in the 2-0 win over Taiwan.