Melbourne Victory's dismal week got worse last night, when they were spanked by Japanese opponents to crash out of the Asian Champion's League.
Japanese side Kawasaki Frontale slaughtered a weary Victory 4-0 in Kawasaki - just 72 hours after Melbourne's gut-wrenching A-League grand final defeat on penalties by Sydney FC.
It is the Victory's third defeat in three Group E matches, leaving them bottom of the group with no chance of qualifying for the second stage.
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They spent 90 minutes chasing shadows as the fast, mobile and technically excellent J-League side left the obviously weary Australians looking ponderous and cumbersome.
It could have been much worse for Melbourne, who trailed 3-0 after 22 minutes but got some respite when Kawasaki were reduced to 10 men just prior to halftime when North Korean striker Jong Tae-se was sent off.
Jong's angry reaction to Victory midfielder Grant Brebner attempting to pull him up off the ground as he lay injured earned him his marching orders and probably saved the Victory from a far more embarrassing fate.
Melbourne, who rested skipper Kevin Muscat and goalkeeper Mitch Langerak and were without injured striker Archie Thompson, were down 2-0 after 10 minutes at Todoroki Stadium.
Jong netted the first after just two minutes to signal a long night ahead for Melbourne, before midfielder Masaru Kurotsu headed home a free-kick eight minutes later.
All over within 22 mins
It was effectively all over for the Victory in the 22nd minute when excellent Brazilian import Renatinho ran 20 metres at a backpedalling Melbourne defence, then let fly to find the net and
make it 3-0.
The home side eased up in the second half, but did manage a late goal in the final minute - a neat counter-attack undoing the Victory and skipper Hiroyuki Taniguchi scoring.
Victory's horror few days was compounded when midfielder Leigh Broxham was sent off in injury-time for a second yellow card for grabbing Renatinho as he lay on the ground.
Melbourne's ACL demise leaves the club without a trophy this season after they were pipped to the A-League minor premiership by Sydney FC, who then trumped them in the grand final to secure the championship.
The Victory have been crucified by scheduling in the ACL, having to shoehorn their matches - two of which were in China and Japan - around their A-League finals campaign.
Kawasaki, who were without a win in Group E until this triumph, now have some chance of qualifying for the second stage by finishing top two in the group.
Melbourne host Kawasaki at Etihad Stadium next Wednesday in their next ACL clash - the start of three dead rubbers for the Victory.
