Uefa Europa Conference League first qualifying round, first leg
FCB Magpies 2 Derry City 0
DERRY CIty’s Europa Conference League campaign hangs in the balance after a terrible loss at Bruno Magpies.
The Candystripes’ old Achilles heel of not defending set-pieces was their downfall again as centre-back duo Ashton Taylor and Francisco Zuniga sealed A famous win for the Gibraltar men at the Europa Point Stadium.
The defeat, which is City’s second in a row, means Ruaidhri Higgins’ side will have to raise their game massively if they are to overcome the first-leg deficit next week.
City started with the same side which narrowly lost at Sligo Rovers in the league, as Michael Duffy continued to sit things out on the bench.
The game began in 30-degree heat and the tempo in the early stages was very slow, with the visitors keeping the ball for long periods in the opening quarter.
The woodwork came to the home side’s rescue on four minutes as Adam O’Reilly’s long-range effort, which had keeper Dayle Coleing well beaten, crashed off the crossbar.
Magpies frontman Jack Storer was given too much space on the edge of the City box but the Englishman’s shot, which had goalkeeper Brian Maher scrambling, whistled just wide.
Moments later, Daniel Kelly was inches away from breaking the deadlock. The former Dundalk man, who faced Magpies last season, got through a few challenges before seeing his side-footed shot saved by Coleing before Reuben Diaz got back to clear the ball off the line.
The half-hour mark was the moment that Welsh referee Robert Ian Jenkins decided both teams should take a water break and it gave both Ruaidhri Higgins and his opposite number Nathan Rooney the chance to get some instructions to their respective sides.
On 46 minutes, Derry had a half-chance but Mark Connolly’s poor strike on the edge of the box failed to test ex-Glentoran net-minder Coleing.
The home side made a change at the break with Javier Forjan replacing Eduardo De Salles Oliveira and it was the substitute who went close on 47 minutes.
A terrible pass by Paul McMullan only found the Spanish striker on the edge of the box, but his stinging effort was tipped over by Maher.
From the resulting corner the Magpies took the lead as Juan Arguez’s delivery found Ashton Taylor at the back post and the big centre-back made no mistake, heading home from close range.
The Gibraltar men should have added a second on 58 minutes as Storer, who always looked lively, found himself free inside the box after a teasing run, but with only Maher to beat, he blasted over.
Soon after, there was a sublime piece of skill by Will Patching, the midfielder’s clever flick finding Kelly, but his first-time shot from the right-hand angle flashed just wide.
Coleing was called into action on 67 minutes as that man Kelly got to the byline, but his cross-cum-shot was gathered at the second attempt by the Magpies goalkeeper.
The home side doubled their lead eight minutes from time. A soft free-kick was awarded out on the right and after Jean Garcia swung in an excellent cross, Zuniga rose unopposed at the back post to head into the bottom-right hand corner of the net.
Things could have got a lot worse for Derry as Maher had to make a smart save to deny Olatunde Bayode in stoppage time.
FCB Magpies D Coleing, A Taylor, R Diaz, F Zuniga, A Carrascal Aviles, J Arguez (H Stevens 93), C Garcia (L Combes 85), J Storer (C Valle 63), E De Salles Oliveira (J Gutierrez HT), K Ronco (Evan De Haro 83), O Bayode.
Derry City B Maher, C Dummigan, M Connolly, S McEleney (S Todd 84), B Doherty; S Diallo (Michael Duffy 60), A O’Reilly, W Patching; D Kelly (C Whelan 84), P Hoban (D Mullen 79), P McMullan.
Referee Robert Ian Jenkins (Wales)