Bangladesh's U23 soccer team were the first to leave the country to take part in the 16th Asian Games. Ironically, they became the first side to return home on Sunday night after an early elimination from the group stages with a disappointing performance that saw them finish bottom of the 24 teams.

Of the 25-member squad, 12 players and assistant coach Saiful Bari Titu returned on Sunday while the remaining players and the coach Robert Rubcic are scheduled to return today.

Bangladesh were drawn alongside Uzbekistan, United Arab Emirates, and Hong Kong in Group E from where all the three other teams qualified for the 16-team second round. Neighboring India also secured a second-round berth while the other two South Asian nations Maldives (17th) and Pakistan (22nd) finished above Bangladesh.

Bangladesh officials had expressed hope of upsetting either of their powerful group opponents who are ranked much higher in FIFA rankings, but on the field they hardly offered any resistance against Uzbekistan and UAE, going down by 3-0 margins before being eliminated with a 4-1 defeat against Hong Kong.

- The Daily Star (Bangladesh)