Derry City hold their nerve to see off KuPS after incredible game in Finland!

KuPS 3

Derry City 3

Derry City win 5-4 on aggregate

Derry City showed incredible heart, courage and desire as they came from behind to earn a draw which sends them through to the Third Qualifying stage of the Europa Conference League. 

Michael Duffy's second half header, the sixth of an amazing game, was enough to send the Candystripes through and set up a trip to Kazakhstan next week to face Tobol Lostanay. 

Ruaidhri Higgins’ team got off to the perfect start when they opened the scoring after just 13 minutes. KuPS lost possession in midfield and the Irish side countered ruthlessly, Paul McMullan crossing for Cian Kavanagh to head into the net from close range to make it 3-1 on aggregate.

The away side were looking comfortable but they were gifted a way back into the game when goalkeeper Brian Maher came to punch a corner, but missed the ball entirely and the ball hit the back of Jasse Tuominen’s head and found the net.

Derry then suffered another blow when they lost influential captain Patrick McEleney to injury on the half hour, the captain replaced by Sadou Diallo.

KuPS then stuck again just before half time, and again there was a huge stroke of fortune for the home side as Tuominen set up Saku Savolainen, whose weak shot took a deflection off Cameron McJannet to take it past Maher.

The drama was just beginning to unfold however as Derry hit back early in the second half, Diallo scoring at the second attempt to put the Candystripes 4-3 ahead on aggregate.

That lead lasted less than two minutes as KuPS cut the City defence apart and Savolainen raced through to score his second goal of the game.

Not to be deterred, Derry City then stunned KuPS again by taking the lead yet again, with Michel Duffy sending a brilliant header past Kreidl on 69 minutes to put the viistors through, 5-4 on aggregate.

That goal proved to be enough and it was the Derry City players left celebrating with a small pocket of travelling fans at full time. 

Teams

Derry City: Maher; Boyce, Connolly, McJannet, Doherty; Dummigan (O'Reilly 53), P McEleney (Diallo 30), Patching; Duffy, C. Kavanagh (Mullen 79), McMullan (S. McEleney 79).

KuPS: Kreidl; Saarinen, Cisse, Sichenje, Antwi; Oksanen, Popovitch (Bispo 70); Tuominen, Heinonen, Savolainen (Jervis 70); Yengi.

Referee: Mr Dario Bel (Croatia).