SCOTLAND'S women suffered their heaviest defeat for over ten years when they lost 6-0 to Sweden in an indoor friendly at the Prioritet Serneke Arena in Gothenburg last night.

Three goals in six minutes just before half time gave the Swedes a cushion and they added three more in the second half.

Already without Kim Little and central defender Jenny Beattie, who are in Australia with their loan club Melbourne City, another central defender, Ifeoma Dieke, was unable to start because of injury. Hibs' Joelle Murray, a late addition to the squad, was drafted in alongside Rachel Corsie.

Having held out for the first 40 minutes, Scotland found themselves three down at half time.

Paris Saint-Germain midfielder Lisa Dahlkvist was first to find the net before left back Magda Ericsson and striker Sofia Jacobsson added a quick double on either side of the regulation 45 minutes.

The Swedes, who made two substitutions at half-time and three more on the hour, added a fourth goal in the 68th minute when Lotta Schelin added to her bulging international tally.

The fifth and sixth came from yet another substitute, Pauline Hammarlund, who replaced Schelin and added to Scotland's misery.

The Scots also lost 6-0 in a World Cup qualifier against Russia in Moscow in August, 2005.

Coach Anna Signeul didn't attempt to sugarcoat her team's performance. She said: "We lost Ifeoma before the game because of a calf injury and then her replacement, Joelle Murray, was also injured before Sweden scored their first goal.

"It was unfortunate, and not good, that we lost these three goals in such a short period.

"We got more and more pressed back - Sweden were very good, even the young players they brought on in the second half.

"Their back line was never tested and as a team we couldn't cope with their physique."

Sweden now move on to a four nation play-off for the third and final European place at the Rio Olympics women's tournament. They play the Netherlands, Norway and Switzerland in Rotterdam at the start of March.