Tony Popovic insists Western Sydney controlled large sections of their first-half downfall in Tuesday's 5-1 Asian Champions League thrashing, but were undone by Shanghai SIPG's star foreign legion.
The Wanderers were thoroughly outplayed by the cashed-up Chinese Super League giants on a torrid night for Australian football, during which Brisbane were also belted 6-0 by Ulsan Hyundai.
For Popovic's humbled side, the gulf in class was striking and the contest essentially over at the half-hour mark, by which time Brazilian trio Hulk, Oscar and Elkeson had led Shanghai to a 4-1 lead.
But the coach, who has been under the pump juggling his squad between back-to-back A-League and ACL fixtures, was adamant that the Wanderers weren't too far off their more-fancied opponents.
"We felt we did good with the ball, we controlled large parts of the first half," Popovic said.
"But every time SIPG entered the box with the quality they have and their foreigners, they always create something.
"And when they hit the target, nine times out of 10 it's a goal. That was the difference.
"We had 56 percent of the ball in the first half -- that's not bad away from home, at Shanghai.
"But what we did with the ball wasn't enough."
The loss leaves the Wanderers bottom of Group F with a minus-eight goal difference, with little hope of a sharp turnaround like the one they pulled off to lift the 2014 trophy.
While that campaign also started with a loss to Ulsan Hyundai, this time there was no rebound from last week's 4-0 trouncing by Urawa Red Diamonds.
There are mitigating circumstances -- this was the fourth game in 11 days taking in flights to Perth and then China.
But in a tough group also featuring upcoming opponents FC Seoul, the Wanderers are up against it to make the knockout stage.
Popovic has already saved his most valuable attacking threat Brendon Santalab exclusively for A-League duty, while also preserving some other preferred options for the fight to save the club's domestic season.
"We have a small squad ... we had a lot of younger players on the field today. They will gain a lot of experience from this match," he said.
"Our squad is what it is, so we have to move forward."