DERRY CITY CRASHED out of the Europa League after a 5-3 aggregate defeat to CSKA Sofia in the first round qualifier as the return tie at Brandywell was overshadowed by trouble in the stands.
Hundreds of Derry fans, including women and children, were forced onto the pitch for their own safety after visiting CSKA fans threw missiles towards them in the Southend Park Stand.
The match was delayed for almost 15 minutes after Ellis Chapman drew Derry level with his first goal for the club two minutes into the second half as officials and stewards diffused a situation that could have boiled over.
The PSNI were called and entered the stadium behind the stand for the first time since Derry’s entry into the League of Ireland in 1985, but thankfully weren’t needed as the game resumed.
When play resumed, Cypriot international Ioannis Pittas, who scored a brace in Sofia, put the visitors back ahead in the tie when he lobbed the ball over Brian Maher’s head following a defensive mix-up.
Seventeen minutes of added time were signalled at the end and despite a spirited effort from the Candystripes, French winger Mohamed Brahimi finished the tie with a close range finish to earn CSKA a 2-1 win.
The Bulgarians advance to the second round while Derry drop into the Uefa Conference League where HNK Rijeka of Croatia await.
Tiernan Lynch made three changes from the first leg. Adam O’Reilly returned from suspension and Kevin dos Santos and Brandon Fleming came in. Liam Boyce, the goalscorer in Sofia, missed out while Cameron Dummigan and Rob Slevin dropped to the bench.
Controversially the Bulgarians were without their Belarusian goalkeeper Fedor Lapoukhov and his international teammate, midfielder Max Ebong, who were denied visas.
Santos was Derry’s best outlet on the right and when Fleming sent him scampering clear, the Portuguese winger skipped past Jordao and Pastor before crossing dangerously into the CSKA six yard box on 12 minutes. O’Reilly had made a lung-bursting run into space but couldn’t get the vital touch and the ball bounced clear.
The visitors first shot on target arrived on 17 minutes when Pittas, scorer of both goals in the first leg, tried his luck from just inside the penalty box but Brian Maher saved with his feet.
CSKA skipper Jordao tried his luck from 30 yards when the ball broke from a free-kick but his dipping volley went over the bar.
Petko Panayotov crossed from the right and Pittas rose highest at the back post but his header went straight into Maher’s hands.
Derry hit the post on the stroke of half-time when Dos Santos sent Duffy in behind. From an acute angle, the City skipper struck the near post with a powerful left-footed shot.
Derry made an enforced change at the break, replacing the injured Dos Santos with Dutch midfielder Nick Twisk.
The home side hit the front two minutes after the restart to stun the Bulgarians. Duffy’s free kick was floated to the back post where Fleming headed back across goal and Chapman nodded into the back of the net to level the tie 3-3 on aggregate.
Sensi curled a 25-yard free-kick over at other end before Barry Cotter broke past Bruno on a swift counter attack. He clipped the ball towards Chapman, who misjudged the flight of the ball and the chance was lost.
The match was then stopped for almost 15 minutes as trouble broke out when the visiting Bulgarians broke up seats and threw missiles towards the home support.
Derry stewards and club officials including director of football Mark Connolly and captain Duffy were among those attempting to diffuse the situation which began to boil over.
The PSNI were called and entered the stadium in riot gear as a precaution, positioning themselves behind the Southend Park Stand.
The game eventually got back underway and it was the visitors who started sharpest. Angelo Martino’s half volley bounced across goal and wide of the far post on 74 minutes.
Sixty seconds later, Pittas got onto the end of a long ball and lobbed over the advancing Maher’s head. Grogan chased back but Pittas got the final touch to force the ball over the line.
Seventeen minutes of stoppage time were added at the end of the 90 as Derry attempted to force extra-time.
Derry had the Bulgarians penned in for a lengthy period and Duffy’s strike from just inside the box was tipped behind by Dimitar Evtimov with four minutes remaining.
Brahimi came off the bench and after 60 seconds he ensured CSKA’s passage into the next round when exchanging passes with Jordao and firing into the net from close range.
A Derry supporter behind the CSKA goal in the North Stand was held back by stewards as he attempted to race towards the visiting goalkeeper as the game ended in ugly scenes once again.
Crowd trouble causes 15-minute delay as CSKA Sofia eliminate Derry from Europa League
Derry City 1
CSKA Sofia 2
(CSKA win 5-3 on aggregate)
DERRY CITY CRASHED out of the Europa League after a 5-3 aggregate defeat to CSKA Sofia in the first round qualifier as the return tie at Brandywell was overshadowed by trouble in the stands.
Hundreds of Derry fans, including women and children, were forced onto the pitch for their own safety after visiting CSKA fans threw missiles towards them in the Southend Park Stand.
The match was delayed for almost 15 minutes after Ellis Chapman drew Derry level with his first goal for the club two minutes into the second half as officials and stewards diffused a situation that could have boiled over.
The PSNI were called and entered the stadium behind the stand for the first time since Derry’s entry into the League of Ireland in 1985, but thankfully weren’t needed as the game resumed.
When play resumed, Cypriot international Ioannis Pittas, who scored a brace in Sofia, put the visitors back ahead in the tie when he lobbed the ball over Brian Maher’s head following a defensive mix-up.
Seventeen minutes of added time were signalled at the end and despite a spirited effort from the Candystripes, French winger Mohamed Brahimi finished the tie with a close range finish to earn CSKA a 2-1 win.
The Bulgarians advance to the second round while Derry drop into the Uefa Conference League where HNK Rijeka of Croatia await.
Tiernan Lynch made three changes from the first leg. Adam O’Reilly returned from suspension and Kevin dos Santos and Brandon Fleming came in. Liam Boyce, the goalscorer in Sofia, missed out while Cameron Dummigan and Rob Slevin dropped to the bench.
Controversially the Bulgarians were without their Belarusian goalkeeper Fedor Lapoukhov and his international teammate, midfielder Max Ebong, who were denied visas.
Santos was Derry’s best outlet on the right and when Fleming sent him scampering clear, the Portuguese winger skipped past Jordao and Pastor before crossing dangerously into the CSKA six yard box on 12 minutes. O’Reilly had made a lung-bursting run into space but couldn’t get the vital touch and the ball bounced clear.
The visitors first shot on target arrived on 17 minutes when Pittas, scorer of both goals in the first leg, tried his luck from just inside the penalty box but Brian Maher saved with his feet.
CSKA skipper Jordao tried his luck from 30 yards when the ball broke from a free-kick but his dipping volley went over the bar.
Petko Panayotov crossed from the right and Pittas rose highest at the back post but his header went straight into Maher’s hands.
Derry hit the post on the stroke of half-time when Dos Santos sent Duffy in behind. From an acute angle, the City skipper struck the near post with a powerful left-footed shot.
Derry made an enforced change at the break, replacing the injured Dos Santos with Dutch midfielder Nick Twisk.
The home side hit the front two minutes after the restart to stun the Bulgarians. Duffy’s free kick was floated to the back post where Fleming headed back across goal and Chapman nodded into the back of the net to level the tie 3-3 on aggregate.
Sensi curled a 25-yard free-kick over at other end before Barry Cotter broke past Bruno on a swift counter attack. He clipped the ball towards Chapman, who misjudged the flight of the ball and the chance was lost.
The match was then stopped for almost 15 minutes as trouble broke out when the visiting Bulgarians broke up seats and threw missiles towards the home support.
Derry stewards and club officials including director of football Mark Connolly and captain Duffy were among those attempting to diffuse the situation which began to boil over.
The PSNI were called and entered the stadium in riot gear as a precaution, positioning themselves behind the Southend Park Stand.
The game eventually got back underway and it was the visitors who started sharpest. Angelo Martino’s half volley bounced across goal and wide of the far post on 74 minutes.
Sixty seconds later, Pittas got onto the end of a long ball and lobbed over the advancing Maher’s head. Grogan chased back but Pittas got the final touch to force the ball over the line.
Seventeen minutes of stoppage time were added at the end of the 90 as Derry attempted to force extra-time.
Derry had the Bulgarians penned in for a lengthy period and Duffy’s strike from just inside the box was tipped behind by Dimitar Evtimov with four minutes remaining.
Brahimi came off the bench and after 60 seconds he ensured CSKA’s passage into the next round when exchanging passes with Jordao and firing into the net from close range.
A Derry supporter behind the CSKA goal in the North Stand was held back by stewards as he attempted to race towards the visiting goalkeeper as the game ended in ugly scenes once again.
Derry City: Maher; Barr, Grogan (Stott 90), P. McClean, Fleming; Cotter, O’Reilly, Olayinka (Dummigan 90), Chapman (Clarke 80), Dos Santos (Twisk 45); Duffy.
CSKA Sofia: Evtimov; Pastor, Jordao, Sensi, Godoy (Zwarts 72), Ivanov, Martino, Pittas (Brahimi 103), Panayotov (Eto’o 72), Rodriguez, Solet (Gbamin 79).
Referee: Jasmin Sabotic (Luxembourg).
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