Derry City 2
KuPS 1
Simon Collins reports from the Ryan McBride Brandywell
TWO GOALS inside 10 second half minutes at Brandywell handed Derry City the advantage in this Europa Conference League second round qualifier against KuPS going into next week’s return leg in Finland.
Today marked 17 years since Derry City stunned Swedish giants Gothenborg, which began their unforgettable Uefa Cup third-round journey. That was the last occasion Derry qualified for a third round tie in Europe, and now they’ve given themselves an incredible chance of repeating that feat.
Axel Vidjeskog gave the Finland outfit the lead from the penalty spot on the stroke of half-time when Mark Connolly charged down Urho Nissila’s strike with his hand.
It was a bitter blow for the Candystripes who had the best of the chances in that opening half. However, the introduction of Paul McMullan and Cian Kavanagh from the bench in the second half turned the match on its head.
The Scotsman crossed brilliantly for Will Patching to head home the equaliser on 69 minutes and 10 minutes later Michael Duffy picked out Kavanagh at the far post and he rifled into the roof of the net. It was a thoroughly deserved win for the Foylesiders against opposition who are positioned 222 places higher in Uefa’s coefficient rankings.
Ruaidhri Higgins named a strong starting line-up as skipper Patrick McEleney made his first start since their 4-1 loss to St Patrick’s Athletic in Inchicore on June 5th. In total Higgins made seven changes from the team which started the 3-0 FAI Cup first round win over Athlone Town on Sunday.
KuPS manager Jani Honlkavaara made five changes from their last league match, two of which were enforced due to visa issues. Africans Ibrahim Cisse (Ivory Coast), Collins Sichenje (Kenya) and Clinton Antwi (Ghana) – all three first team regulars this season – failed to receive the necessary visas to travel to Northern Ireland.
However, the visitors were still able to field four senior Finnish internationals with 27 caps between them and also a current Finland U21 international in the starting eleven.
It was a fast-paced start from the slick Finnish outfit who came close to opening the scoring after just three minutes from a short corner kick. Urho Nissila eventually floated a cross towards the back post where Axel Vidjeskog headed it back across goal and Mark Connolly bravely blocked Tuominen’s 10 yard volley with his chest before clearing the danger.
Derry settled into the match and from a free-kick on the right on 14 minutes, the ball was eventually worked towards Doherty in space on the edge of the penalty area and his low strike took a deflection but Austrian keeper Johannes Kreidl read it well and saved at the second attempt.
It was an encouraging spell for Derry and when McEleney picked out Boyce in the box with a lovely first time pass the Ramelton man sent a lobbed effort goalwards and Kreidl did brilliantly to tip it onto the crossbar.
Boyce came so close once again on 21 minutes but his cushioned header nestled onto the roof of the net after Brandon Kavanagh picked him out with a superb cross towards the back post.
Derry were hit by a late sucker-punch at the end of the first half when Connolly conceded a penalty kick. Jamie McGonigle lost possession in the KuPS half and a diagonal ball sent left back Taneli Hamalainen into space inside the box. The ball broke to Nissila on the edge of the box and his shot was charged down by Connolly who clearly blocked the ball with his hand and went to ground holding his face. Lithuanian referee Robertas Valikonis was well placed and wasn’t fooled as he immediately pointed to the spot. Up stepped Vidjeskog who coolly sent Brian Maher the wrong way as he slotted into the bottom right corner to give the visitors a half-time lead.
It was a frustrating end to the half for the Candystripes who had fashioned the best of the goalscoring chances.
Four minutes into the second half Michael Duffy slotted the ball back into the path of Doherty who picked out Kavanagh at the back post with an inviting inswinging cross but the Dubliner scuffed his header wide.
Kavanagh was one of Derry’s bright sparks in the first half and he tested the keeper moments later with a right footed effort from 20 yards which Kreidl saved low to his left at full stretch.
From a promising attack Duffy slotted McGonigle through on goal but his first time strike was saved comfortably by the Austrian keeper.
At the other end Australian striker Tete Yengi, on loan from Ipswich Town, forced an acrobatic one-handed save from Maher who turned the ball over the crossbar on the hour mark.
McMullan was introduced off the bench and provided a much needed injection of pace on the right flank and the former Dundee winger got Derry back in the match on 69 minutes with a lovely cross from the right which was met by the head of Patching who directed his header into the corner of the net to send the Brandywell support into raptures.
It was no more than they deserved and another Derry sub, Cian Kavanagh was causing havoc in the Finnish defence. His strike was saved at close range by Kreidl and when Duffy reacted quickest to the rebound his effort was blocked by Seth Saarinen.
The game was turned on its head on 79 minutes from a throw-in deep inside KuPS half and when Duffy picked out Kavanagh at the far post and the striker made no mistake as he rifled into the roof of the net.
Derry looked most likely to add to their advantage late on with McMullan slotting the ball through to Adam O’Reilly who was thwarted by the KuPS keeper.
From the resultant corner kick Kreidl somehow managed to keep out Kavanagh’s downward header in the third minute of added on time. Derry had to withstand late pressure from the visitors during six tense minutes of stoppage time played by the officials but they held firm and will go into the second leg with real confidence of progressing into the third round for the first time since 2006.
Derry City: Maher, Boyce, Connolly, McJannet, Doherty; Dummigan, P McEleney (Diallo 84)), Patching (O’Reilly 84); Duffy, McGonigle (C. Kavanagh 70), B Kavanagh (McMullan 61).
KuPS: Kreidl, Miettinen, Hämäläinen, Toivomäki, Saarinen, Nissilä (Heinonen 88), Oksanen, Vidjeskog (Bispo, Tuominen (Lampinen 68), Yengi, Savolainen (Jervis 68);
Referee: Mr Robertas Valikonis (Lithuania).