HB Torshavn 0 Derry City 0
Derry City were left frustrated in the Faroes as part-timers HB Torshavn held the Brandywell club to a scoreless draw in the Europa Conference League first-round tie in the Faroese capital.
Ruaidhrí Higgins’s side were fortunate not to be behind in the first half with HB Torshavn midfielder Emil Berger striking the foot of the post before the City manager made a tactical switch.
Higgins’s troops, playing their 45th match in European competition, did have their chances as his second-half substitutions gave them the edge and Jamie McGonigle and Ciarán Coll both came close.
The home side were first to threaten on 13 minutes after a cagey opening. Aki Samuelsen crossed dangerously across the face of goal but Ari Jonsson couldn’t get a touch as it fizzed across the six-yard box.
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The ball broke out to Berger on the edge of the penalty and he took a touch before bending it towards the far corner and with Maher at full stretch it struck the outside of the post.
It was a lucky escape for Derry and three minutes later they were under the cosh once again as Hanus Sorensen picked out Dan I Soylu who fired wastefully over the crossbar.
Higgins used a break in play to change formation to a 4-2-3-1 to try to get some control in the match and there was an immediate improvement.
On the half-hour mark Michael Duffy beat his man on the left wing and squared it to Paul McMullan lurking just inside the penalty area but the Scotsman didn’t get enough power on it and Bjarti Vitalis Mork saved comfortably.
From a corner kick the ball broke to the unmarked Cameron Dummigan and his effort from 30 yards was parried clear by the goalkeeper on 32 minutes.
Higgins clearly didn’t like what he was watching and made a double substitution at the break with Patching and McGonigle coming on for Ben Doherty and Daniel Mullen respectively.
It was the Faroese who created the first chance of the second half on 54 minutes when the ball broke to Samuelsen inside a crowded penalty area and his sliced effort with the outside of his right boot which looked destined for the far corner but it was hoofed clear by a Derry defender.
McMullan played a one-two with Ronan Boyce and crossed into the feet of McGonigle who took a touch before turning and striking towards goal but Mork saved well on the hour mark.
Duffy floated a cross in with his left foot and McGonigle met it with a glancing header but Mork saved comfortably and almost immediately HB forced a save from Maher who flapped at a cross and then blocked substitute Praest’s low strike with his feet.
Coll replaced the injured Cameron McJannet on 79 minutes and within seconds of his introduction Patching sent a free-kick into the box and the defender’s header was turned behind by Monk.
Moments later Monk produced another excellent save to deny Duffy’s curling strike from 25 yards to keep the tie scoreless.
McGonigle had a great chance to clinch a late winner as Duffy got beyond the right back and cross towards the near post to McGonigle who got away from his marker but his strike was blocked by sub Samuel Chukwudi at full stretch.
That was the last of the action and Derry have plenty to do in the second leg at the Brandywell.
HB TORSHAVN: Mork; Davidsen, H Askham, Wardum (Chukwudi, 86), Sorensen; I Soylu (Jensen, 86), Berger, Justinussen; Jonsson (Praest, 65), Borchers, Samuelsen (Thomsen, 65);
DERRY CITY: Maher; Boyce, S McEleney, Connolly, McJannet (Coll, 79); Duffy, Diallo (P McEleney, 62), Dummigan, McMullan (B. Kavanagh, 62); Doherty (Patching, h-t); Mullen (McGonigle, h-t).
Referee: Kristoffer Hagenes (Norway).
