Pistone Vunyoli Mutamba scored a brace as relegation-threatened Himalayan Sherpa Club shocked leaders Jawalakhel Youth Club 2-1 in the Martyrs Memorial A-Division League at the Dasharath Stadium in Kathmandu on Wednesday.

The Kenya forward gave Sherpa the surprise lead after 10 minutes, bending in a corner from Biswash Shrestha.

Mutamba doubled the lead in the 19th minute when he received a pass from Khamir Kandangwa, lined up a shot and drilled a screamer into the bottom corner to the right of Jawalakhel goalkeeper Anish Deula.

Nkoto Masoabi tapped in a pass from substitute Samiraj Thokar in the 72nd minute to reduce the deficit as Jawalakhel desperately searched for goals.

It was Masoabi’s 10th goal of the season and Lesotho forward leads the goal-scoring chart along with Dipak Raj Singh Thakuri, who scored twice in Satdobato Youth Club’s 4-0 drubbing of Sankata Club earlier on Wednesday.

Thokar should have equalised three minutes later when Sunil Khadka set him through but his lack of pace and control let Sherpa goalkeeper Kishor Giri to undo the effort.

Instead it was Sherpa who sent chills through the spines of Jawalakhel players when Abayomi Fakunle rattled the bar in the first minute of the injury time.

Fode Fofana and Hishub Thapaliya went close in the dying minutes but Sherpa held on to their lead to strengthen their bid for survival.

Sherpa are level on 13 points with New Road Team and Khumaltar Youth Club but lie below them in the 13th position.

It was Jawalakhel’s third defeat of the season. Despite the defeat, Jawalakhel still lead the standings with 23 points thanks to second-placed Three Star Club’s sloppy performance as they played a goalless stalemate with reigning champions Machhindra Club at the same venue.

Three Star were looking to keep pressure on Jawalakhel but were far and away from their best in a match of few chances.

The only best moment of the match came in the 44th minute when Machhindra’s Olawale Afeez connected with Bijay Bhujel to set up Chencho Gyeltshen inside the box but the Bhutan national team captain hit the post.

Three Star thought they had broken the deadlock in the 67th minute when Laken Limbu sent in Santosh Shahukhala’s improperly discharged shot but the goal was ruled offside to the disbelief of Three Star players and supporters.

At the Chyasal Stadium, William Opku Asideu and Thakuri scored a brace each to send Satdobato up to the third spot with 21 points.

Asideu put Satdobato in front in the 10th minute when Sushil Lama squared the ball towards the Ghana midfielder, who was left unmarked, to calmly drill it into the far post.

Asideu doubled Satdobato’s lead nine minutes later when Sankata goalkeeper Tikendra Singh Thapa’s clumsy save allowed his shot from outside the box into the net.

Thakuri furthered Satdobato’s advantage in the 68th minute coolly finishing a counter attack after he was set up by Asideu.

Thakuri then killed off the game in the 82nd minute. He showed control and precision as he stopped a long pass from captain Sudip Gurung, twisted it to trick two Sankata defenders and sent a semi-volley from near the arc of the area past goalie Thapa.