HIGHLY-RATED CROATIA international Toni Fruk handed Rijeka a 1-0 victory over Derry City in their Conference League first-leg tie at the Stadion Rujevica.
Fresh from his Fifa World Cup campaign with Croatia, the £10 million (€11.72 million)-rated attacking midfielder fired Rijeka ahead six minutes into the second half with a left-footed finish from close range.
Up until that point in the tie, the Candystripes had restricted the Croatian side to long-range efforts with neither goalkeeper troubled in the opening half of a tentative clash by the Adriatic.
Michael Duffy had the best of the goalscoring opportunity in that opening 45 minutes when his strike from an angle deflected agonisingly wide of the far post.
Fortunate
The classy Fruk came to the party with that expertly taken finish on 51 minutes and if truth be told, Derry were fortunate not to be further behind in the tie.
New signing Brooklyn Lyons-Foster cleared Daniel Adu-Adjei’s shot off the line before Brian Maher saved the follow-up effort from Amer Gojak.
Substitute Justas Lasickas also came so close to adding a second for the home side in stoppage time but Derry will be delighted the tie remains alive going into the return leg at Brandywell next week where they must overturn a 1-0 deficit.
Tiernan Lynch handed a debut to 25-year-old Londoner Lyons-Foster who signed this week from HJK Helsinki, starting the former England youth international at right-back. He was one of seven changes made since Sunday’s 3-0 FAI Cup second round win over Tolka Rovers at Brandywell.
A view of Rijeka fans during the match. Aleksandar Djorovic
Aleksandar Djorovic
The small band of approximately 50 travelling Derry fans was housed in the iconic metal cage at the ground which is nestled between a cliff and the Adriatic Sea.
The Candystripes supporters will have been pleased with their team’s first half showing despite the fact the visitors saw little of the ball.
Dominated
Although it may have been Rijeka’s first competitive match of the season, they dominated possession with 77% in the opening half, and on two minutes Portuguese midfielder Tiago Dantas screwed his 25-yard shot wide of the Derry goal.
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The Croatian side were restricted to shots from distance and on 24 minutes Branko Pavić reacted quickest to Barry Cotter’s defensive clearance but his shot on the half volley went well wide of the target.
Michael Duffy in action for Derry City. Aleksandar Djorovic
Aleksandar Djorovic
Derry had the best chance of the first half from Michael Duffy’s free-kick into a crowded penalty area. The ball dropped to Brandon Fleming and the ex-Hull City man clipped it towards the back post where Duffy ran into the box, turned past Dantas and his shot was deflected agonisingly past the far post.
Neither goalkeeper was tested in the opening 45 minutes, but Rijeka needed just six minutes of the second half to break the deadlock. Dantas’ slick pass was directed into the path of Fruk by the outstretched leg of Patrick McClean and the Croatian international fired clinically past Maher to give the home side the lead.
Ellis Chapman dejected after his side conceded a goal. Aleksandar Djorovic
Aleksandar Djorovic
It could have worsened for the Foylesiders seven minutes later after a quick break; Dantas played in Adu-Adjei but Lyons-Foster brilliantly cleared his 10-yard shot off the line. The rebound fell to Gojak and his strike from an acute angle was turned behind by Maher for a corner.
Lynch made a triple substitution just after the hour mark in a bid to get a foothold in the game with Adam O’Reilly, James Clarke and Cameron Dummigan entering the fray.
O’Reilly made an instant impact and when he made a lung-bursting run from inside his own half during a promising Derry counter attack on 74 minutes, his dangerous cross towards Duffy at the back was cut out superbly by Fruk at full stretch.
Despite a spirited finish to the game, Derry were fortunate not to be trailing a two-goal deficit as substitute Justas Lasickas’ effort at full stretch from a corner kick in stoppage time went narrowly wide of the back post.
The final whistle blew, bringing relief to the Derry players who know their European fate remains in their hands as they take the tie back to Foyleside.
Derry City fans after the match. Aleksandar Djorovic
Aleksandar Djorovic
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Derry City fall to narrow first-leg defeat against Croatian side Rijeka
Rijeka 1
Derry City 0
HIGHLY-RATED CROATIA international Toni Fruk handed Rijeka a 1-0 victory over Derry City in their Conference League first-leg tie at the Stadion Rujevica.
Fresh from his Fifa World Cup campaign with Croatia, the £10 million (€11.72 million)-rated attacking midfielder fired Rijeka ahead six minutes into the second half with a left-footed finish from close range.
Up until that point in the tie, the Candystripes had restricted the Croatian side to long-range efforts with neither goalkeeper troubled in the opening half of a tentative clash by the Adriatic.
Michael Duffy had the best of the goalscoring opportunity in that opening 45 minutes when his strike from an angle deflected agonisingly wide of the far post.
Fortunate
The classy Fruk came to the party with that expertly taken finish on 51 minutes and if truth be told, Derry were fortunate not to be further behind in the tie.
New signing Brooklyn Lyons-Foster cleared Daniel Adu-Adjei’s shot off the line before Brian Maher saved the follow-up effort from Amer Gojak.
Substitute Justas Lasickas also came so close to adding a second for the home side in stoppage time but Derry will be delighted the tie remains alive going into the return leg at Brandywell next week where they must overturn a 1-0 deficit.
Tiernan Lynch handed a debut to 25-year-old Londoner Lyons-Foster who signed this week from HJK Helsinki, starting the former England youth international at right-back. He was one of seven changes made since Sunday’s 3-0 FAI Cup second round win over Tolka Rovers at Brandywell.
The small band of approximately 50 travelling Derry fans was housed in the iconic metal cage at the ground which is nestled between a cliff and the Adriatic Sea.
The Candystripes supporters will have been pleased with their team’s first half showing despite the fact the visitors saw little of the ball.
Dominated
Although it may have been Rijeka’s first competitive match of the season, they dominated possession with 77% in the opening half, and on two minutes Portuguese midfielder Tiago Dantas screwed his 25-yard shot wide of the Derry goal.
The Croatian side were restricted to shots from distance and on 24 minutes Branko Pavić reacted quickest to Barry Cotter’s defensive clearance but his shot on the half volley went well wide of the target.
Derry had the best chance of the first half from Michael Duffy’s free-kick into a crowded penalty area. The ball dropped to Brandon Fleming and the ex-Hull City man clipped it towards the back post where Duffy ran into the box, turned past Dantas and his shot was deflected agonisingly past the far post.
Neither goalkeeper was tested in the opening 45 minutes, but Rijeka needed just six minutes of the second half to break the deadlock. Dantas’ slick pass was directed into the path of Fruk by the outstretched leg of Patrick McClean and the Croatian international fired clinically past Maher to give the home side the lead.
It could have worsened for the Foylesiders seven minutes later after a quick break; Dantas played in Adu-Adjei but Lyons-Foster brilliantly cleared his 10-yard shot off the line. The rebound fell to Gojak and his strike from an acute angle was turned behind by Maher for a corner.
Lynch made a triple substitution just after the hour mark in a bid to get a foothold in the game with Adam O’Reilly, James Clarke and Cameron Dummigan entering the fray.
O’Reilly made an instant impact and when he made a lung-bursting run from inside his own half during a promising Derry counter attack on 74 minutes, his dangerous cross towards Duffy at the back was cut out superbly by Fruk at full stretch.
Despite a spirited finish to the game, Derry were fortunate not to be trailing a two-goal deficit as substitute Justas Lasickas’ effort at full stretch from a corner kick in stoppage time went narrowly wide of the back post.
The final whistle blew, bringing relief to the Derry players who know their European fate remains in their hands as they take the tie back to Foyleside.
Rijeka: Todorović; Janković, Majstorović, Barco, Pavić, Fruk, Gojak (Rukavina 79), Adu-Adjei (Jurić 69), Oreč, Dantas, Devetak.
Derry City: Maher; Lyons-Foster (Barr 75), P. McClean, Stott (Dummigan 62), Fleming; Cotter, Olayinka (Burns 80), Twisk (O’Reilly 62), Duffy; Chapman; Boyce (Clarke 62).
Referee - Jose Luis Munuera (Spain).
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conference league Derry City League of Ireland Rijeka Soccer