Bangladesh suffer record 10-0 defeat to DPR Korea

Bangladesh women's national football team suffered its heaviest-ever defeat on Monday, losing 10-0 to three-time Asian Games champions DPR Korea in its opening Group B match in Osaka, Japan.

The rout eclipsed Bangladesh's previous record defeat, a 9-0 loss to Thailand in 2013, when the country's women's football programme was still finding its feet. Fourteen years later, the unwanted record has been rewritten on an even more painful scale.

The result also underlined the gulf between the two sides in the FIFA Women's World Ranking. In the latest official ranking, published on 16 June, DPR Korea stood 11th, while Bangladesh were 107th, a difference of 96 places.

DPR Korea, who had already beaten Bangladesh 5-0 in the AFC Women's Asian Cup in March, seized control from the outset at Nagai Stadium. Jon Ryong-jong opened the scoring in the fifth minute and doubled the advantage five minutes later.

Bangladesh struggled to escape their own half, while their defence found it difficult to contain the North Koreans' pace, movement and relentless attacking pressure. Seven goals before the interval effectively settled the contest. DPR Korea did not ease off after the restart, adding three more goals to complete a comprehensive victory.

Head coach Peter Butler had indicated before the match that he would prioritise giving younger players valuable exposure rather than focusing solely on the result. Bangladesh next face Korea Republic on Thursday, with Myanmar awaiting them in their final group match on 21 September.