OCCER CHAMPION`S LEAGUE: DERRY CITY 0 – 0 FC PYUNIK
Referee: Mr. S.Trifonos (Cyprus)
SRTE, Ireland
July 18 2007
Derry City may have kept their Champions League chances alive but the
Candystripes must do it the hard way by getting a result in far away
Armenia next Wednesday.
Facing FC Pyunik, Derry certainly created scoring chances at the
Brandywell on Wednesday night but their failure to find the net has
made next week’s second leg all the more difficult.
That said it was abundantly clear that the Armenians were content to
retain possession and defend in large numbers, a ploy which certainly
served them well on the night.
During the early stages Derry certainly enjoyed their fair share of
the ball and indeed played some superb football but their failure
to turn that possession into goals will make next week’s tie all the
more difficult.
Derry fashioned two chances to break the deadlock. Paddy McCourt, who
returned to action at the expense of the injured Killian Brennan on
the left flank, brought the best out of Pyunik keeper Gevorg Kasparov,
after just five minutes.
While Barry Molloy forced Kasparov into another stop after 16 minutes,
the midfielder’s effort from the edge of the area pushed wide at the
expense of a corner.
Punik’s first scoring opportunity followed a short free-kick in the
29th minute when Rafael Nazaryan played-in Aghvan Lazarian but his
low drive was well saved by an alert Pat Jennings.
Derry were very unlucky not to break the deadlock in the 57th minute
when Ciaran Martyn got his boot to a Gareth McGlynn cross but the
effort was directed at Kasparov and a glorious opportunity was lost.
Derry introduced Kevin McHugh at the expense of Sammy Morrow in the
68th minute and the Donegal man went close with his first touch,
the ball sailing narrowly over the bar.
With six minutes remaining a Ken Oman header was easily dealt with
by Kasparov as the visitors continued to battle and hope to hit on
the break.
Derry City: Jennings; McCallion, Oman, Hutton, Hargan; McGlynn (Deery,
58 mins), Molloy, Martyn, McCourt; Morrow (McHugh, 68 mins), Farren
(Hynes, 85 mins)
FC Pyunik: Kasparov, Tateosjan, Hovespyan, Yeoigaryan, Ghazaryan
(Mkhitaryan, 62 mins), Dokhoyan, Arzumanyan, Lazarian (Sahakyan,
79 mins) Pachajyan, Nararyan, Guevgeozian (Hzeina, half-time)