Sabah FA, a club from Malaysia was out of the tournament after losing to Wuhan Jiangda WFC, a club from China scoring 0-7 in the AFC Women’s Champions League 2024/25 Group Stage, Group A at Hankou Cultural Sports Centre, Wuhan.
This loss marked the end of Sabah’s campaign in the group stage of the prestigious tournament.
Wuhan Jiangda, still reeling from a surprising 2-1 defeat in their opening match against Abu Dhabi Country Club, came into this game determined to make amends. They dominated from the outset, securing a commanding 3-0 lead by halftime, leaving Sabah with little chance of recovery.
The breakthrough for Wuhan Jiangda came in the 31st minute when a swift counterattack orchestrated by Deng Mengye found Kabange Mupopo in space, allowing the Zambian striker to easily slot the ball past Sabah’s goalkeeper, Nurul Azurin Mazlan.
Wuhan Jiangda built on their momentum, doubling their lead in the 39th minute through Song Duan, who latched onto a well-timed pass from Saratou Traore before lifting the ball over the advancing Nurul Azurin.
The Chinese side cemented their dominance with a third goal just before halftime in the 44th minute. A high ball mishandled by Sabah’s Steffi Sarge allowed Deng to capitalize, sending a low shot into the bottom corner.
Wuhan Jiangda wasted no time in the second half, adding three more goals in quick succession. Saratou Traore opened the floodgates with a brilliant individual effort in the 53rd minute, followed by Deng scoring her second of the night just two minutes later. Yao Wei then delivered a stunning long-range strike in the 57th minute to make it 6-0.
The final blow came in the 81st minute when Deng completed her hat-trick with a simple tap-in, assisted by Yao Wei, sealing a comprehensive 7-0 victory for Wuhan Jiangda.
With this defeat, Sabah FA‘s journey in the AFC Women’s Champions League comes to an end. They will face Abu Dhabi Country Club in their final group match, but with no chance of advancing to the knockout stages. Wuhan Jiangda, on the other hand, will look to secure their place in the next round when they take on Hyundai Steel Red Angels Women’s FC from Korea Republic in their final group match.
Credit Photo : Sabah FA
