Linfield Ladies fell to an eight-goal defeat away to Anderlecht in their Champions League tie on Wednesday evening.
The encounter at Lotto Park was always going to be an uphill struggle for the Blues, who suffered a 3-1 defeat to the Belgian giants last season and for whom this was their first competitive game since September.
The home side were 6-0 up at half time with Laura De Neve and Sarah Wijnants both hitting doubles in the opening half, while Tine De Caigny and Tessa Wullaert - who was signed from Manchester City this summer - also found the net.
After the break, De Caigny and Wullaert both scored again to put the icing on the cake for the professional outfit.
This season’s Champions League was originally scheduled to start in August but was pushed back due to the Covid-19 pandemic, with the schedule shortened from group stages to individual knockout games.
Linfield defeated Greek side PAOK in last season’s competition group stage but finished behind Anderlecht and LSK Kvinner of Norway.
Anderlecht: Odeurs, de Caigny, de Neve, Vatafu, Wijnants, Missipo, Deloose, Teulings, Toloba, Tison, Wullaert subs Seynhaeve (not used), Colson (replaced Tison 46), Huys (not used), Wijns (replaced Wijnants 46), van Gorp (replaced Teulings 64), van Caesbroeck (not used), Leynen (replaced Vatafu 81), Diki (replaced Toloba 72)
Linfield: Adams, Fitzsimmons, McFrederick, Hutton, Carleton, Howe, Bassett, Burrows, McKenna, Magee, Donnan subs Smyth (replaced Carleton 84), Morgan (replaced Fitzsimmons 62), Power (not used), S. Leckey (not used), Dickson (replaced Bassett 71), E. Leckey (replaced Donnan 71), McConnell (not used), McMaster (not used)
