Derry City get off lightly away to Rijeka in Conference League qualifier
HNK Rijeka secured a narrow 1-0 victory over Derry City in the first leg of their Uefa Conference League qualifier. Toni Fruk scored the decisive goal early in the second half, leaving the tie open for the return match.
Why it matters
European football qualifiers are high-stakes events for regional clubs, impacting their standing and revenue in continental competitions.
Classy Croatian international Toni Fruk handed HNK Rijeka a slender victory over Derry City in the Uefa Conference League second-round qualifier at the Stadion Rujevica.
The midfielder fired Rijeka ahead six minutes into the second-half with a left-footed finish from close range.
Up to that point, the Candystripes had restricted Rijeka to long-range efforts, with neither goalkeeper troubled in the opening half.
Michael Duffy had the best of the first-half goalscoring opportunities when the ball dropped to Brandon Fleming, who clipped it towards the back post where Duffy ran into the box and turned past Portuguese midfielder Tiago Dantas but his shot was deflected agonisingly past the far post.
Fresh from his return from the World Cup, Fruk came to the party with his expertly taken finish on 51 minutes.
Get smarter about the news
Sign up free for a feed built around what you actually care about, Dive Deeper research on any story, and the full text of every article.
Create free accountAlready have an account? Sign in