The Guangdong-Hong Kong Cup first leg ended 1-1 on Wednesday night after the mainland Chinese hosts profited from a soft penalty to equalise in Guangzhou.

Despite conceding that luckless 74th-minute leveller, the away side – who led through Stefan Pereira’s first goal for the city – ended the night in the box seat ahead of their home leg at Hong Kong Stadium next Wednesday.

Veteran forward Pereira’s Hong Kong future appeared to be in the balance when he was axed from the squad for September’s Fifa window. His industry and attitude quickly gained favour with new head coach Ashley Westwood, however, and having been named skipper for this clash, he made a leading contribution at Yuexiushan Stadium.

Operating on the shoulder of main striker Kyle Lau Ka-kiu, the 36-year-old needed only a sniff of goal to give Hong Kong a 40th-minute lead.

The breakthrough was created down the left, where full-back Jeremy Tsang Lok-to, who recently won the US College championship with Vermont Catamounts, chased down a loose ball.

Tsang’s low cross found its way to Lau, who will join Lee Man permanently in the summer after he finishes university in the United States. The 22-year-old evaded challenges to feed Pereira, who had his back to goal but spun to direct a shot through the legs of defender Hou Yu and beyond Ji Jiabao, the Guangdong XI goalkeeper.