The home side, who came close to qualify for the World Cup 2006 but eventually failed to book a ticket for Germany, were leading 3-0 at the break at the Pakhtakor Stadium in the Uzbek capital.

Geynrikh opened the scoring for the eighth-ranked side in Asia after ten minutes and Bangladesh lost their goalkeeper Aminul immediately after conceding the lead. The injured keeper, replaced by Biplab, was taken to the hospital but he was reportedly okay.

Geynrikh scored his second goal seven minutes after the breather while Shatskikh, AFC Player of the Year 2005 nominee, found the net in the 34 and 84 minutes.

Server Djeparov, one of the 11 Pakhtakor players chosen for the national side by new coach Valeri Nepomniatchi -- the former Cameroon coach -- added the other from the 24th-minute penalty.

Uzbekistan were reduced to ten men for the last five minutes after one of their midfielders received his second yellow card for a foul on Arman Mia.

Bangladesh, playing before a 30,000-strong crowd on a cold afternoon (8 degrees Celsius), created opening either side of the break but Arman and Emily failed to utilise the opportunities.

Bangladesh will play their second match in Dhaka on March 1 against Hong Kong, who suffered a 3-0 home defeat to Qatar. He team will return home tomorrow morning.

In Group A, Japan brushed aside visiting India 6-0 at Yokohama. In Group E, Singapore shocked touring Iraq 2-0 while China blanked Palestine by the same margin at home. South Korea edged Syria 2-1 in a Group B game.