A double from Gabriel Ramos was enough for Riga FC to end Derry’s Europa Conference league journey at the first qualifying round. 

The Brazilian’s double, both involving the silky Douglas Aurielo, made it 4-0 to Riga on aggregate and despite Derry hitting the crossbar twice, ensures that it is the Latvians who advance.

Chasing the tie from a 2-0 deficit in the first leg last week, Derry started strongly in the Skonto Stadium. James Akintunde, starting ahead of Jamie McGonigle, scuffed an early chance.

On sixteen minutes, Akintunde tamely fired wide after Will Patching’s clever pass sent him through on goal. It was a missed opportunity Derry would subsequently rue.

Shortly after the half-hour, dangerman Gabriel Ramos, who tormented Ruaidhri Higgin’s defence last week, opened the scoring. Douglas Aurielo, again prominent, strutted forward and picked out left-back Glody Ngonda in the box. His cutback found Ramos who kept his cool, expertly steering the ball into the corner.

The hosts then had a reprieve. A sloppy backpass from goalkeeper, Nils Tom Purins, was seized upon by Brandon Kavanagh whose instinctive attempt rattled the crossbar.

Ten minutes into the second half, Patching scorched the Riga woodwork once more with a tenacious hit from the edge of the box after fine work from Daniel Lafferty.

The second half was on the verge of petering out, Derry’s one positive being the return of forward Michael Duffy from long-term injury.

Yet even this was soured when Aurielo picked out Ramos who, advancing infield from the left, cannoned a stupendous thunderbolt beyond Brian Maher and into the top corner. 4-0 and tie over.

A harsh score over the two legs but Derry’s first-half performance in Latvia was certainly one for the League of Ireland to be proud of.

They now return to domestic duty in the Airtricity League and must dust off disappointment as they head to Ballybofey to face Finn Harps on Sunday evening.