Derry City Eliminated from UEFA Europa League by CSKA Sofia
Derry City (3) 1 – 2 (5) CSKA Sofia FT
Derry City’s Europa League journey concluded with a defeat to CSKA Sofia at Brandywell Stadium, a match overshadowed by disturbances in the stands.
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The Candystripes equalized the aggregate score just two minutes into the second half when Ellis Chapman found the net with a header.
Encouraged by their vocal supporters, Derry City appeared poised for victory until referee Jasmin Sabotic suspended the game due to unrest among visiting fans attempting to breach the home section in the shared Southend Park stand.
Several Derry City fans entered the pitch as calm was eventually restored, allowing the match to resume after nearly a 15-minute delay.
However, the disruption affected the hosts’ momentum, and Ioannis Pittas, who had scored twice in the first leg, capitalized on a defensive error to regain the lead for CSKA Sofia in the 76th minute.
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Despite Derry City’s efforts to equalize, the situation worsened when Barry Cotter inadvertently scored an own goal in the 108th minute, sealing a 5-3 aggregate loss and prompting frustration from fans, who reacted by throwing objects at CSKA goalkeeper Dimiar Emitov.
The match began in a vibrant atmosphere, with both sets of fans creating a lively backdrop as the sun shone on the well-maintained pitch at Brandywell.
Derry settled into the game and nearly took the lead in the 12th minute when Kevin dos Santos made an impressive run down the left, delivering a perfect cross that Adam O’Reilly failed to convert.
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Pittas nearly opened the scoring with a well-placed shot in the box, but Derry goalkeeper Brian Maher made a crucial save with his legs. Leandro Godoy also came close, having a header blocked on 35 minutes and then missing a clear chance from eight yards out just before halftime.
As the first half concluded, Derry City had a golden opportunity to level the aggregate score, with dos Santos once again creating space to set up Michael Duffy, whose shot hit the post from a difficult angle.
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The second half started positively for Derry City, who took the lead on the night as Chapman headed in a knock back from Brandon Fleming, seemingly shifting the game in their favor. But following the lengthy stoppage, CSKA Sofia regained control, with Pittas striking again with 14 minutes remaining.
Despite mounting pressure in the final stages, Derry City could not recover, finishing the match with Cotter’s unfortunate own goal. Derry City now transitions to the Conference League and will face NK Rijeka of Croatia in the second qualifying round.