Courageous display not enough for Derry as they fall short against CSKA Sofia

CSKA Sofia 3 Derry City 2 Derry City produced a valiant display to earn a narrow 3-2 defeat to CSKA Sofia, in their Europa League first leg clash, at Vasil Levski Stadium. A late James Olayinka header means Derry have given themselves more than a fighting chance going into next week’s return leg at the Ryan McBride Brandywell Stadium. After trailing 1-0 and 3-1, the midfielder’s late goal meant Derry deservedly kept the tie alive. Manager Tiernan Lynch took a massive game with his starting line-up as he incredibly gave debuts to recent signings Christy Grogan and Ellis Chapman, despite the pair only having a few training sessions with their new team-mates. Centre-back Grogan, who arrived in Derry on Sunday after completing his move, had only one day of Stockport County’s pre-season training before making the switch to Foyleside. Chapman on the other hand has featured a number of times with Shelbourne in recent weeks before making the switch, but the duo’s includes just proves how light Derry’s squad is as they begin their European adventure. As for Hristo Yanev, his side have only played a number of pre-season friendlies with Argentinian striker Leandro Godov, who joined from for a rumoured fee €1.8 million and former Inter Milan midfielder Stefano Sensi both in the starting eleven. The Brandywell men held their own for most parts of the first half and would have been disappointed to be trailing at the break, defensively they were solid for large parts and two wonder goals meant they were behind at the interval. It was the visitors who started brightly and forced the first corner of the tie after just two minutes, but Michael Duffy’s inswinging corner from the left nearly caught out Fedor Lapoukhov, however the big keeper did well to punch the ball away from underneath his crossbar. The visitors goalkeeper Brian Maher was called into action on 17 minutes, the Dubliner got down low to his left before tipping the ball around the post to keep out Ioannis Pittas’ angled drive. Stefano Sensi’s resulting right wing corner was headed to the back post to Pittas and the Cypriot striker chested the ball down before superbly lifting the ball over Maher into the opposite corner of the net. Derry stunned the home side just after the half-hour mark as Duffy’s quick thinking saw his free-kick find Boyce inside the box and while the former Cliftonville man scuffed his shot, the ball nestled in the net to level things and sent the small travelling support wild. The 200 City fans’ celebrations were short lived as the Sofia men regained the lead on 41 minutes with another wonder strike, this time Sensi laid the ball off to captain Bruno Jordao and he fired home into the top right hand corner from 20 yards, giving Maher no chance. CSKA increased their lead early in the second half as Lapoukhov’s pass out from the ball found Pittas, who ran some 50 yards right at the heart of the Derry back-line, before slipping the ball wide to Pastor, the right-back cut the ball back for the frontman to tuck home his second on the night. Lynch gave a debut to a third new recruit on 64 minutes as he attempted a plan to his side back into the first leg tie with Nick Twisk replacing Cameron Dummigan and the plan nearly worked as Derry thought they had pulled a goal back. A neat passing move ended with Chapman finding Duffy, his back-flick released Boyce and his left footed strike flew past Lapoukhov, but their celebrations were cut-short as the assistant’s flag was up and the goal was chalked off. Boyce showed great skill on 83 minutes but after cutting inside his left footed effort deflected just wide. Derry deservedly pulled a goal back on 88 minutes following a neat passing move, as Barry Cotter’s right wing cross picked out Patrick McClean at the back post, his downward header into the six yard box found Olayinka, who headed home from close range. CSKA Sofia: Lapoukhov, Pastor, Rodriguez, Ivanov, Martino; Panayotov, Jordao, Sensi (Piedrahita 85); Solet (Brahimi 72), Godnoy (Zwarts 72), Pittas. Derry City: Maher, Barr, Grogan (Stott 70), P McClean, Slevin (83); Cotter, Dummigan (Twisk 64), Olayinka, Duffy; Chapman, Boyce. Referee: Visar Kastrati (Kosovo).