Derry City 2-1 KuPS: Match Review

 

UEFA Europa Conference League Second Round qualifier, first leg

FT: Derry City 2-1 Kuopion Palloseura

                        ’68 – Will Patching             ’44 Axel Vidjeskog (P)

                        ’78 – Cian Kavanagh

 

            Derry City got their pursuit of the UECL Third Round qualifier off to a flying start following an energetic second half performance in the Ryan McBride Brandywell. Superb individual performances from the likes of Patrick McEleney, Ronan Boyce and Cameron Dummigan culminated in a historic victory for the Candystripes as they came back from 1-0 down to defeat KuPS 2-1 in the first leg of the tie.

 

            KuPS started the game the stronger team, controlling the ball well and showing a confidence in their approach. Their back-line quelled most of Derry's threats for the majority of the first half, whilst their midfield looked comfortable in feeding the ball forward. Within three minutes Brian Maher was called into action, parrying a back post header. Mark Connolly was then on hand to block the following effort from Jasse Tuominen. The presence of the Monaghan man in City’s defence was vital throughout though, with his experience calming a slightly nervy defence early on. A stumble from Cameron McJannet then allowed Tete Yengi in on goal, but the on-loan Ipswich Town forward failed to capitalise. The mistake seemed to unnerve Derry’s number 17, who needed the second half to come before settling back into the game.

 

            As the first half progressed, the home team came to life. Following a nice move in the KuPS half, the ball came to the feet of Ben Doherty. The left-back’s strike from distance took a deflection as it went through the crowd but was smothered by Johannes Kreidl in the away goal. Minutes later, sustained Derry pressure resulted in Patrick McEleney receiving the ball on the edge of the box. His chip into the area was met by Ronan Boyce, whose dink over Kreidl hit the crossbar. The full back struck the woodwork once again soon after. A Brandon Kavanagh cross met the head of Boyce before coming down onto the top of the bar, much to the relief of the Austrian goalkeeper.

 

            KuPS pressure mounted towards the end of the half as the Finns pushed to break the deadlock. A shot from outside the box struck Mark Connolly inside the area, resulting in a penalty for KuPS and a yellow card for the 31 year old. Axel Vidjeskog made no mistake and slotted past Brian Maher just moments before the Lithuanian referee blew for half time. The Finns had a slender lead going into the break.

 

            Derry City wasted no time in upping their game after the restart and fashioned a string of chances before the hour mark. After missing a header from inside the box, Brandon Kavanagh cut inside onto his weaker right foot and shot, forcing a good save from Kreidl on the 51^st minute. Despite this pressure, KuPS mounted an attack. Tete Yengi managed to get the ball out of his feet inside the box and unleashed a fierce strike towards Brian Maher’s goal. The Republic of Ireland U21 goalkeeper pulled a fine save right out of the top drawer to stop the Finnish side from doubling their lead. The Brandywell crowd began to raise the decibel level. The introductions of Paul McMullan and Cian Kavanagh shortly after were to be a masterstroke by Ruaidhrí Higgins.

 

Mark Connolly played a smart ball forward to the Scottish winger McMullan, who found space on the right hand side and drove at the Finnish defence. His inch perfect cross was met by Will Patching in the box, who headed into the bottom corner for his third goal in five games. The Brandywell erupted, and the home side found yet another gear.

 

            Ten minutes later, Ben Doherty and Michael Duffy showed excellent understanding to construct another chance. Former Celtic winger Duffy peeled away from his man and dinked Doherty’s throw into the six yard box. With Kreidl stranded, substitute Cian Kavanagh rifled the ball into the net and sent the home fans into delirium. There were shades of 2006 as the Candystripes upset the odds and took a 2-1 lead into the last ten minutes. Truth be told, Derry could have scored more. Smart movement from Adam O’Reilly on his return from suspension saw the Cork man one-on-one inside the KuPS box. His shot was saved well by Kreidl who put up a fine performance despite his side’s defeat. After a nervy five minutes of additional time, referee Robertas Valikonis put an end to proceedings, to the delight of the home fans.

 

            As Derry built momentum, there was a sense around the Brandywell that this game could be ‘one of those nights’. Depending on how the second leg goes, this night could be, and should be, categorised with the Gretna’s, PSG’s and Gothenburg’s in the annals of Derry City Football Club. It was a vintage Brandywell, big game atmosphere. Both the Southend Stand and Mark Farren Stand were behind the team throughout, something which clearly drove the players to victory. The small but loud travelling support seemed as dejected as their players come the final whistle, but they know that the tie is not over yet.

 

            Ruaidhrí Higgins knows too, that the tie is far from won. His usual celebrations were toned down following the final whistle, indicative that he is focused on the task at hand. He’ll have drilled that into his players as well. After featuring as a player in that run in 2006, he knows more than anyone how much a European run would mean to the city. However, progression to the UECL third round, if it does come, will not come easy. KuPS’ quality was on show, particularly in the first half. As I mentioned in my preview of the game, their pedigree on the continental stage cannot be denied. Derry City will have to be on top form to gain progression and get the job done next week.

 

Pól O’Hare

Derry City v KuPS: Match Preview

 

Derry City FC vs. Kuopion Palloseura, UEFA Europa Conference League Second Round First Leg, Ryan McBride Brandywell Stadium, Thursday 27^th July, kick-off 7.45pm

 

Derry City’s UEFA Europa Conference League second round clash with Kuopion Palloseura (KuPS) on Thursday will see the Candystripes face Finnish opposition for the first time in the club’s history. A capacity crowd at the Ryan McBride Brandywell Stadium cheered City to a 1-0 win over Havnar Boltfelag Tórshavn in the second leg of the first round last week, with Sadou Diallo’s 22^nd minute header the decider in a cagey, two-legged affair. That win marked Derry’s first European victory since 2018, when an Ally Roy double was enough to defeat Dinamo Minsk, but ultimately wasn’t sufficient as the Belarussians progressed on aggregate. It was back in 2014 when the Foyleside club last progressed into the second round of UEFA competition. A 9-0 aggregate demolition of Welsh side Aberystwyth Town saw Derry face Shakhtyor Soligorsk in the second qualifying round of the Europa League that year, before slumping to a 6-1 defeat over both legs. City’s only goal of that tie was scored by Michael Duffy, only nineteen at the time, and now in his second spell at the club, will be aiming to fire Derry to a historic victory this time round. Both Patrick and Shane McEleney started in Belarus in 2014 and will be hoping to do so again on Thursday following stellar performances in the 3-0 win against Athlone Town at the weekend, which saw Derry begin their FAI Cup defence on the right foot.

 

That win against Athlone Town means that Derry City are five games unbeaten going into Thursday’s first leg in the Brandywell, but the same cannot be said for KuPS, who have recorded just one win from their last five. That run, which followed a five game winning streak, saw the ‘Keltamusta’ drop to second in the Veikkausliiga table and bow out of the Suomen Cup in the quarterfinal, losing on penalties to IFK Mairehamn. Jani Honkavaara’s men will be out to prove a point, as it was their victory in the final of last year’s Suomen Cup which earned them a spot in the Second Round of Europa Conference League qualifying. KuPS are no stranger to European knockout football either, progressing to the Playoff Round of the Europa League in 2020-21 before losing to CFR Cluj, and in 2021-22 where Union Berlin denied them a place in the Conference League group stages. Therefore, a result for Derry City, who are the first Irish side to face KuPS in European competition, will be no mean feat.

 

There is a (slight) link between the two clubs, however. Former Derry City and Northern Ireland U21 midfielder Jake Dunwoody, who joined the Candystripes in the summer of 2020, signed for Helsinki outfit IFK Helsingfors from City before the 2021 season and had switched to SJK before the year was out. He provided the assist for the only goal of the game the last time SJK met KuPS in the Veikkausliiga, and his side currently sit one point above KuPS at the summit of the Finnish top flight. Dunwoody’s first start for Derry City came on the European stage, in a Europa League qualifier against FK Riteriai, which saw the Candystripes lose 3-2 after extra time in the single-legged tie against the team from Vilnius.

 

One KuPS player in particular to keep an eye on is Finnish international midfielder Urho Nissilä. The 27 year old, who has 12 caps for his country, has experience playing in South Korea, Belgium and the Netherlands, and earned a move of nearly €250k at the age of 22 to Zulte Waregem. A watch of his highlights will show a talented midfielder, capable of scoring from distance and providing a real threat from set pieces. With 6 goals and 2 assists in 13 league appearances this season, he may prove to be a handful for Derry’s defence. Nissilä tends to play on the left of a midfield three in Honkavaara’s favoured 4-3-3 formation, which the manager hasn’t deviated from since a 1-0 defeat to Honka in April when he deployed a 3-5-2, according to Transfermarkt.

 

It will be interesting to see if Ruaidhrí Higgins deploys a more defensive formation for the earlier stages of the first leg, as he did away to HB Tórshavn two weeks ago, in an attempt to quell any early attacking threat. The Limavady man will, I suspect, start with his usual 4-2-3-1 formation in order to capitalise on his side’s home advantage. This more attacking set-up worked last time out against the Faroes, whereas Derry struggled to fashion many meaningful chances prior to the change of shape and introduction of Will Patching and Jamie McGonigle half-way through the first leg.

 

KuPS are, on paper, favourites to progress. Their previous European escapades, coupled with the international pedigree of key players like Urho Nissilä and striker Jasse Tuominen, means the Finnish side will fancy their chances. Derry City can, however, look toward Faroese side KÍ Klaksvik for inspiration following their 3-0 win to shock Hungarian champions Ferencváros last week in the UEFA Champions League first round. Moreover, the fact that Larne took HJK Helsinki, whom KuPS sit just one point above in the Veikkausliiga, to extra time in their first ever Champions League tie may also give the Candystripes faithful hope.

 

The Third Round offers not just a lucrative prize pot, but another double-header against the winner of Basel and Tobol Kostanay. The former narrowly losing 4-3 to Fiorentina in the semi-final of the Europa Conference League last season, whilst the latter currently sit fifth in the Kazakh Premier League and bowed out of Europe in the third round last time out. With tickets for the game selling fast, expect the Ryan McBride Brandywell Stadium to be rocking once again on Thursday evening as the Candystripes begin their hunt for qualification to the third round of UEFA competition for the first time since 2009.

 

Pól O’Hare