Liverpool set up a Barclays Asia Trophy final clash with Portsmouth after seeing off a spirited South China outfit 3-1.
A side with skipper Steven Gerrard and summer signings Fernando Torres and Ryan Babel were given a testing examination as goals from John Arne Riise, Xabi Alonso and Daniel Agger finally saw off the hosts at Hong Kong Stadium.
Riise opened the scoring after nine minutes with a trademark blistering free-kick from the edge of the area that left keeper Zhang Chunhui with little chance as it arrowed its way into the top corner.
Harry Kewell's ball into the box caused panic in the South China defence shortly afterwards and the ball broke to Andriy Voronin but the Ukraine striker could not apply the finish.
Jose Luis' side then nearly grabbed an equaliser as first an inswinging corner was cleared almost off the line before the Liverpool defence misjudged a deep cross but Bai Hei spooned his shot wide when well placed.
The home side fell further behind after 26 minutes when Alonso's cute through ball split the South China defence and Voronin was bundled over in the box. Alonso slotted home the spot kick low to Zhang's left.
However, South China halved the deficit just after the half hour mark when, after Mohammed Sissoko had been penalised for a foul near the right touchline, skipper Li Haiqiang curled a brilliant effort into the top corner of Scott Carson's net from 30 yards.
Alonso went close with a couple of long-range drives before the interval, the first from a Peter Crouch lay-off after persistent work from Voronin and the second when the ball fell to him after Crouch's surging run was stopped in its tracks as the Reds maintained their advantage.
The second half opened in low-key fashion but Dirk Kuyt, who had replaced Crouch, fired over when Alvaro Arbeola's low cross picked the Dutchman out on the far side of the area.
Voronin went close after 70 minutes when the striker rose to meet Kuyt's cross from the left but just could not keep his header down as it went narrowly over the bar.
A third was not long in coming though as Agger rounded off a beautifully worked goal after 72 minutes.
It was the centre-back who started it as he intercepted a pass and rode a couple of challenges before feeding Riise on the left. The Norwegian's cross picked out Kuyt and he teed up Agger to drive the ball home from inside the box.
Zhang then produced two good stops in the space of two minutes as he first parried Kuyt's strong effort before denying Jermaine Pennant at the far post.
Liverpool should have scored a fourth two minutes from time but Voronin could only get minimal contact on Pennant's teasing cross and Kuyt somehow could not turn it in at the far post.
Meanwhile, Portsmouth booked their place in the Barclays Asia Trophy final after Benjani Mwaruwari's first-half goal saw Harry Redknapp's side overcome Fulham 1-0.
Both sides fielded a number of new signings and a competitive contest was settled just before the break thanks to a predatory strike from the Pompey striker.
Portsmouth had the game's opening chance after five minutes as Gary O'Neil shaped to shoot from the edge of the area before slipping in David Nugent, but the striker could only sidefoot tamely at keeper Tony Warner.
Sulley Muntari, who was stamping his authority on proceedings early on, then fired over from 20 yards as Pompey seemed to be gaining the upper hand.
Nugent wriggled free down the left and fed Nico Kranjcar but the midfielder dragged his shot wide of Warner's right post from the edge of the box just before the half-hour mark.
Fulham then spurned two good opportunities as the first period drew to a close.
Simon Davies found a yard of space on the right flank and the winger's curling cross eluded everybody except the onrushing Clint Dempsey at the back post but the midfielder headed straight at David James before Brian McBride's follow-up was deflected wide.
The resulting corner was only half-cleared and another Davies cross again found Dempsey free in the box but his low shot was blocked.
Portsmouth took full advantage of the reprieve and went ahead on the stroke of half-time.
Benjani started the move out on the right with a cheeky backheel that found Nugent and the striker fed O'Neil on the edge of the box.
The midfielder's strike hit Zat Knight and the ball fell to a lurking Benjani, who slotted home from seven yards.
Some nice interplay between Lomana LuaLua, on during the interval for Benjani, and Muntari at the start of the second period saw the striker release Kranjcar down the right.
The Croatian's dangerous cross was nearly turned into his own net by Knight but substitute keeper Ricardo Batista managed to turn the ball round the post.
Diomansy Kamara nearly produced an equaliser after 56 minutes when Sylvain Distin dallied too long in possession and was robbed by Davies.
He played in the midfielder who forged into the box and skipped past Sol Campbell but clipped James' outstretched leg as he tried to lift the ball over the Portsmouth keeper.
Nugent outmuscled Knight when chasing a long ball but curled his shot wide of the far post.
Then, a deep ball in was not properly dealt with by the Pompey defence but Collins John blazed over when the ball broke to the striker in the box after 67 minutes.
David Healy then got in behind the Portsmouth defence but there was nobody in the box to collect his cutback.
However, the ball fell to Papa Bouba Diop and James did well to block the midfielder's strike after it took a slight deflection.
Muntari nearly doubled Portsmouth's lead eight minutes from time when he hit a thunderous 25-yard strike that just whistled past the post and Gary O'Neil hit the post with a fierce strike in injury-time as Pompey finished the stronger.
