Tanka Basnet, Castory D Mumbara and Sagar Thapa scored one apiece for the visitors. [break]
Thapa, the Nepali national team skipper is also the former skipper of Sherpa, while Mumbara is also a former Sherpa player. Thapa, whose contract with Sherpa expired two weeks ago, is yet to join the team for the next season.
Dipesh KC scored the only goal for Sherpa, the runner-up of the National League, to level the score 1-1.
The visiting side, which had fielded three Nepali internationals, took the driving seat in the 25th minute through Tanka Basnet who scored in a pass of Tanzanian Mumbara. Basnet´s entered the net after taking a deflection off the post. Other two goals for Sherpa came after the interval.
Sherpa found the equalizer two minutes later through Dipesh KC in a counter-attack. KC made a magnificent one-touch strike in a pass of Raj Kumar Ghising for the equalizer.
Mumbara restored Hong Kong´s lead three minutes from time through a penalty. Hong Kong was awarded the penalty by referee Sachin Amatya after Som Bahadur Malla brought down Basnet in the area. Sagar Thapa sealed the victory with a free-kick goal in the stoppage time. Mumbara was adjudged the man-of-the-match.
Sherpa mostly studded with young players came up aggressively during the initial moments of the match but failed to give continuity. The match looked fairly balanced in the first half but Hong Kong piled immense pressure during the second.
Ganesh Khadka chipped above the bar in a one-on-one with the goalie in the sixth minute. In the hour mark Rupesh KC fired above the bar from the area. Hong Kong created about half a dozen scoring chances after the interval.
Sherpa´s coach Nawal Gurung said the penalty awarded to the opponents was the turning point of the match. "It was unfortunate that the opponent was awarded penalty," Gurung said, adding, "Our players are both young and inexperienced. There was also lack of coordination among midfielders and strikers."
Hong Kong´s assistant coach Buddhi Prasad Gurung said his team played better than expected. "Sherpa is a strong opponent but we changed strategy in the second half and thus achieved victory," Gurung said.
Laxmi Hyundai Manang Marshyangdi Club (MMC) will take on Nepal Police Club on Wednesday in the first semifinal.
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