2 v 1 
KuPS KuopioVideo
Details
| Date | Time | League | Season |
|---|---|---|---|
| 27 July 2023 | 7:45 pm | UEFA Conference League | 2023/24 |
Match Report
Second half goals from Will Patching and substitute Cian Kavanagh give Derry City a European night to remember at the Ryan McBride Brandywell Stadium as they beat Kuopion Palloseura (KuPS) 2-1 in their Europa Conference League second round first leg. Ruaidhri Higgins’ men overcame a one-goal deficit and now take a one-goal lead into the away leg in Kuopio. KuPS looked lively from the off and were stroking the ball around with ease, with the Derry players chasing shadows and looking a step slow. The Candystripes did get to the pace of the game and created a number of chances, starting with a deflected effort from Ben Doherty. The Derry full-back’s effort was diverted slightly but KuPS stopper Johannes Kriedl held the difficult effort. Doherty’s right-sided teammate Ronan Boyce also threatened the opposition’s goal by hitting the woodwork – not once but twice. The first of his efforts came just inside the box when he volleyed a ball ‘Di Canio’ style towards the KuPS goal but the controlled attempt hit the bar. Boyce would be denied again by the woodwork when Brandon Kavanagh’s lofted delivery to the back post was met by the run of Boyce, who headed the ball back across the face of the goal and onto the top of the bar. KuPS would take the lead just before half-time, courtesy of an Axel Vidjeskog penalty on the stroke of half-time. A long-range effort towards the Derry City goal was blocked by the hand of Mark Connolly with the referee awarding a penalty with no hesitation. Vidjeskog stepped up to take the penalty, stuttered, and then calmly slotted it home to give the Finnish side a lead just before half-time. In the second half, Brandon Kavanagh and Michael Duffy looked lively with efforts before the hour mark but it was the substitutes that made the difference for Ruaidhri Higgins’ side. Paul McMullen was the first substitute on and made an immediate impact, darting down the right wing before crossing accurately for Will Patching who powerfully headed home from the penalty spot. During the celebrations of the equalising goal, Cian Kavanagh entered the match for Jamie McGonigle, in a move that could change the entire tie. A throw-in from the left in the seventieth minute was completely misjudged by Gabriel Bispo and ended up on the end line with Michael Duffy. Duffy lofted a ball across the box to find Cian Kavanagh unmarked for a tap-in. Adam O’Reilly had a chance to extend their lead to two goals at the death but his tame effort was saved comfortably meaning Derry take a one-goal lead to Finland next week.Second Half Rebirth Gives Derry Hope Of Qualification
Timeline
| 14. Brandon Kavanagh | 16' | |
| 18' | 26. Axel Vidjeskog | |
| 6. Mark Connolly | 44' | |
| 45' | 26. Axel Vidjeskog | |
| Brandon Kavanagh Paul McMullan | 61' | |
| 67' | Jasse Tuominen Pyry Lampinen | |
| 67' | Saku Sovolainen Jake Jervis | |
| 8. Will Patching | 69' | |
| Jamie McGonigle Cian Kavanagh | 70' | |
| 73' | Axel Vidjeskog Gabriel Bispo | |
| 12. Cian Kavanagh | 78' | |
| Patrick McEleney Adam O'Reilly | 84' | |
| Will Patching Sadou Diallo | 84' | |
| 88' | Urho Nissila Arttu Heinonen |
Ground
| Ryan McBride Brandywell Stadium |
|---|
| Ryan McBride Brandywell, Derry, Northern Ireland, BT48 6NP, United Kingdom |
Conor Cantwell
Conor Cantwell is a freelance sports journalist based in Co. Meath. Conor has been covering club football in Ireland and England since 2022. Conor has a keen interest in soccer, Gaelic games, rugby, tennis and basketball and has been writing blogs about the Premier League and the NBA since 2022.
O'Reilly has a chance to extend the lead and really should have but Kriedl saves the effort well.
FIVE MINUTES OF ADDED TIME!
2-1 TO DERRY CITY! A throw-in is misjudged by Bispo and finds Michael Duffy in the box. Duffy crosses for Cian Kavanagh alone in front of goal to score a massive goal in this first leg.
Bispo came on for Vidjeskog in the 70th minute.
Boyce crosses and the ball ends up at the goalscorer but Patching cannot get enough contact on his shot and it dribbles into the hands of Kriedl.
Kavanagh gets some space in the box and gets a strike away. The shot was saved and just evades Duffy who was rushing in to finish the second chance. Derry well on top now.
Cian Kavanagh comes on.
McGonigle comes off.
1-1 AT THE BRANDYWELL! McMullen darts down the right wing crosses to find Patching on the penalty spot and the midfielder headed powerfully past the Kriedl in the KuPS goal.
Lampinen and Jervis on
Savolainen and Touminen come off.
Paul McMullen comes on.
Kavanagh off for Derry.
Duffy bursts down the left and finds the run of McGonigle in behind the KuPS back line. The big striker cannot generate enough power to cause Kriedl any issues. Down the other end, Yengi finds space in the box before striking a powerful shot at Brian Maher but the young keeper saves brilliantly.
Roles have been reversed in this half. Derry City look energetic and are passing the ball with a lot more pace and certainty in the opening stages of the second half.
Kavanagh turns neatly away from a hefty tackle and curls a low shot at the KuPS goal. Kriedl does well to get down and hold the effort. Derry City have started off much brighter this half.
Doherty clips a ball to Kavanagh in the box but the Derry midfielder flicks his header just wide of the post.
Derry kick-off for the second half.
HALF-TIME: Derry City receive a sucker punch just before half-time when a long-range effort strikes the hand of Mark Connolly inside the box giving KuPS a chance to convert from the spot. Axel Vidjsekog converts the penalty to give the visitors a half-time lead. KuPS have been the better side in this game so far and a big effort is needed by Derry in the second half to equalise and to bring a result to Finland for the return leg.
1-0! Vidjsekog stutters before sending Maher the wrong way.
PENALTY FOR KuPS! A long-range shot strikes the hand of Connolly who gets booked for his troubles.
A sloppy pass from McEleney gives KuPS a chance to attack on the break, but Ronan Boyce does well to pressure Miettinen into giving up possession and eventually draws a foul from the full-back.
Derry gain a bit of territory as they get out of their half after a sustained passage of KuPS possession.
A clever turn by Vidjeskog creates space to dribble into the box but Michael Duffy chases back to tackle strongly.
Play resumes with a KuPS free kick in their own half.
The play has been stopped after a head injury to Toivomaki. Derry have defended stoutly since the early stages of the match.
Kavanagh floats a ball to the back post and finds Boyce who lobs a header back towards the back post which lands on the top of the bar. The second time the full-back has hit the woodwork in the first half.
Axel Vidjeskog recives a yellow for preventing a quick free kick.
McJannett cuts out a delivery into the box but in doing so gave Maher a bit of a scare as the deflection rolls wide of the post.
Yellow for Kavanagh for a cynical foul. Free kick for KuPS in the Derry half but the delivery is defended well.
The delivery is dealt with but from the next passage of play Ronan Boyce volleys an effort onto the bar.
Free-kick for Derry in a dangerous position in the KuPS half.
Yengi picks McJannett's pocket but McEleny gets back quickly to cut out the danger. Derry go up the field and win a free-kick and take it quickly which leads to a long-range effort from Doherty. The deflected effort is difficult for Kriedl but the keeper does enough to keep it out.
And we're underway!
TEAM NEWS: Only Ronan Boyce, Will Patching, Cameron McJannett and Brandon Kavanagh keep their places in the starting eleven from the Derry side that beat Athlone Town 3-0 in the FAI Cup. Brian Maher, Mark Connolly, Cameron Dummigan, Patrick McEleney, Michael Duffy, Ben Doherty and Jamie McGonigle make up the rest of the starting lineup.
Hello everyone and welcome to coverage of the UEFA Europa Conference League. Today's second-round matchup from the Ryan McBride Brandywell Stadium features Derry City and Finish top-flight side Kuopion Palloseura (KuPS).