Derry have it all to play for

Derry City 0 PSG 0: Derry City will travel to Paris in two weeks time in confident mood following a scoreless Uefa Cup first…

Derry City 0 PSG 0: Derry City will travel to Paris in two weeks time in confident mood following a scoreless Uefa Cup first round first leg at the Brandywell which they may well have won were it not for the woodwork and some questionable refereeing.

Derry were overwhelming underdogs against aristocrats of Paris Saint-Germain but played without fear against their illustrious opponents in front of the unrelentingly vocal City faithful.

Derry opened positively and were the better side in the first 20 minutes in which Killian Brennan went close twice, once hitting the crossbar with a dipping left-footed volley from 25 yards.

The visitors found some rhythm however, and twice the Derry rearguard were forced to clear off their line, though on the second occasion the Slovakian referee overlooked a clear handball by PSG's Hellebuyck before Darren Kelly deflected a shot to safety.

READ MORE

Derry did not hide in the second-half either and were denied a spot-kick when Kevin McHugh was taken down by Sylvain Armand.

The visitors made few meaningful forays into the Derry half, though they had the possession to do so, and even the introduction of their most potent goal threat Pauletta, with 20 minutes remaining, failed to spark them into life.

Two well defended corners at the death were greeted by rapturous roars - as was the final whistle - for this was a famous result and one that leaves a little more than a glimmer of hope of the score draw needed to progress.

Derry City: Forde; McCallion, Kelly, Oman, Hargan; McCourt (Beckett, 58 mins), Deery, Molloy, Martyn, Brennan (Farren, 79 mins); McHugh.
 
Paris Saint Germain: Landreau; Paulo Cesar, Traore, Armand, Drame; Rozehnal, Hellebuyck; Baning (Chantome, ; Diane (Pauletta, 72 mins), Frau, Pancrate (Kalou, 79 mins).

Referee: R Havrilla (Slovakia).