Gurung hit the decisive goal for three time champions in the 32nd minute in a Buddha Chemjong pass. Gurung made a powerful 30-yard strike for Patan based side to stun Morang custodian Manish Timilsina.[break]
Three Star will not take on the winner among the defending champions Ranipokhari Corner Team (RCT) and Workers Martyrs Memorial Club in misefinal on Wednesday.
Three Star dubbed as one of the title contenders dominated the local minnows and made as many as a dozen post attacks, but all in vain.
In the 10th minute, Three Star were denied a goal when Bikram Dhimal of Morang cleared a ball rolling towards net while goalie Timilsina was already beaten by Bijay Dhimal. Three minutes earlier, Buddha Chemjong´s strike for Three Star was denied by goalie in Rajkumar Ghising´s pass. Similarly, Subham Shrestha and Rajkumar Ghising also squandered one chance each before the interval. Even after the interval, Ghising and Chemjong´s could not find the back of the net despite opportunities.
Morang also created some attractive moves and made some post attempt, almost half a dozen. Kebal Maharjan failed to utilize equalizing chance during the 44th minute and Kavidh Rai´s feeble attack during the eighth minute of the second half was easily taken by Three Star goalie Sanjiv Shrestha. In the 34th minute after interval, Shrestha punched Bikram Dhimal´s freekick and Purna Dunwar was also denied by goalie during the fading moments.
Three Star defender Bishnu Sunwar was adjudged the man-of-the-match.
Pradeep Maharjan, in his first assignment as coach expressed satisfaction towards Three Star´s performance but lamented for failing to utilize scoring chances. "We could have scored 4-5 goals but we missed easy scoring chances."
Maharjan, also the former Three Star captain and a former member of national squad, was appointed the coach for the tournament after their regular coach Megraj was appointed the assistant coach of the national team preparing for the AFC Challenge Cup to be held in the capital from April 7-11.
Morang coach Raju Thapa owed the defeat to lack of coordination and inexperience of players.
On Sunday, four time champions Nepal Police Club will play against Himalayan Sherpa in another quarterfinal of the tournament.
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