Derry out despite a tonic start

Shakhtyor Soligorsk 5 Derry City 1 (Shakhytor win 6-1 on aggregate)

Devastated at losing the home leg on a 0-1 scoreline, Derry stunned Shakhtyor when teenager Michael Duffy levelled the tie on aggregate, hammering the ball home after Rory Patterson’s shot had been parried by keeper Artur Kotenko.

The Candystripes were brought crashing back to earth three minutes later as Shakhtyor midfielder Siarhei Balanovich equalised from eight yards after the Derry defence failed to clear.

Barry McNamee spurned a glorious chance in the 19th minute but he failed to hit the target.

Derry were made pay in the 28th minute. Danny Ventre raced out to close down Alexandre Guruli but the Shakhytor midfielder’s shot deflected off the defender’s leg and past Derry keeper Ger Doherty for the equaliser.

While the visitors tried hard, Shakhtyor ended this tie when netting their third goal in the 68th minute.

Striker, Dmitri Osipenka broke clear and slotted the ball home at the second attempt.

Nikolai Yanush made it 4-1 in the 81st minute and deep into injury-time, substitute Andrei Liavonchyk netted his side’s fifth goal following another defensive error.

SHAKHTYOR SOLIGORSK: Kotenko, Yanushkevich, Kashewski, Yurevich, Kuzmyanok, Matsveychyk, Guruli (Ryas 73), Starhorodskyi, Balanovich (Lyavonchyk 85), Yanush, Osipenko (Halyuza 79).

DERRY CITY: Doherty; Ventre, Byrne, McBride, Barry; Molloy, McNamee; Dooley (Timlin, 61), P McEleney, Duffy (Lowry, 73); Patterson (Boyle, 79).

Referee: E. Pilva (Bosnia & Herz).