Rai scored in the 28th, 32nd and 80th minutes while Bishal Rai A hit the target twice in the 64th and the first minute of injury time. Laxmi Narayan Shrestha netted in the 57th minute. The result was also the highest margin win in the tournament.[break]
Machhindra will now lock horns with Yeti Airlines Himalayan Sherpa Club in the semifinal to be played on Thursday.
Keeping the match under control from the beginning, Rai put Machhindra ahead in the pass from Karna Limbu. Rai doubled the advantage in the 28th minute, four minutes after opening the score through header in a cross from Prabesh Katuwal.
Machhindra had to wait until the second half for the third goal. Laxmi Narayan Shrestha made it 3-0, 12 minutes into second the half in pass from Katuwal. Bishal Rai A netted the fourth goal for the Kathmandu based team in pass from skipper Rai who completed his hat-trick in the 80th minute. Stealing the ball from P Roy from the goal-line, Rai made it 5-0. Rai was declared man-of-the-match.
Bishal Rai A sealed the comprehensive victory with his second individual goal in the first minute of the three minute injury time beating Kolkata goalie M Adhikari.
The visiting side also created a couple of chances but failed to utilize them. In the 41st minute, R Thakur´s strike from outside the bar hit the crossbar. In the 78th minute, S Ali Mola fired inches wide of the crossbar.
Kolkata coach P Dey said his team failed to play up to its potential as the players were exhausted. The team had arrived in Pokhara on Tuesday morning. "The players could not play well as they were tired after a long journey. We could have played far better had got a day´s rest."
Dey also informed that his side could not arrive in Pokhara on time despite timely information about the schedule by organizers. Kolkata Port Trust is ranked fifth among 19 A division teams of Kolkata league. Other than scoring, Machhindra also squandered some other chances of scoring. Bishal Rai A wasted two chances -- one in each half and skipper Rai squandered one.
Machhindra coach Raju Shakya tagged the opponent a weak team. "I knew that opponents were a weaker side after watching the match for first ten minutes. The players did not labor hard to win the match," said Shakya.
Laxmi Hyundai Manang Marshyandi Club (MMC) will play against New Road Team (NRT) on Wednesday.
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