Ruaidhri Higgins’s pride in Kazakhstan after Derry City give themselves a fighting chance in return leg

The Candystripes will have to come from behind in their Europa Conference League third round qualifier after a 1-0 defeat to Tobol Kostanay yesterday.

A superb strike from Roman Asrankulov was the only goal of the game in Kostanay meaning they have it all to do at Tallaght next Thursday.

However a battling performance from the Candystripes — who could well have equalised late on through Michael Duffy — will give them plenty of hope ahead of the second leg.

“I felt there wasn’t much in the game at all,” said Higgins.

“I felt they put us under a bit of pressure as the home team early in the game and we weathered the storm a bit. As the game settled, we settled. I thought it was an even contest.

“It’s an absolute wonder goal that’s put them in front but coming home, with their travel, it gives us a real fighting chance of going through to the play-off. That’s what we wanted coming out here — we wanted the tie to be alive going home.

“I thought in the second-half we controlled a lot of the game and had one or two really good opportunities ourselves to equalise.

“I’m really proud of the efforts of the players and what they put into the game. It’s been a long few days but I’m extremely proud and it sets it up nicely for next week.”

The home side nearly took the lead within the opening two minutes when striker Serge Déblé found space 10 yards out, but Brian Maher made the save low to his left.

The Candystripes tested Ivan Konovalov for the first time on 15 minutes when Paul McMullan ran at the heart of the Tobol defence and was cynically tripped up by Asrankulov. Will Patching’s resulting free-kick from 20 yards was on target but punched clear by the goalkeeper.

The home side should have gone ahead just before the hour mark when a mistake at the back saw Chesnokov through one on one against but Maher did brilliantly to get off his line and smother the shot.

Tobol did break the deadlock moments later when Vukadinović drew the attentions of Ronan Boyce and McMullan down the left before setting it back for Asrankulov in space. The full-back advanced into the box before arrowing a powerful strike beyond into the top left corner, with the help of the crossbar.

Sadou Diallo stung the palms of Konovalov on 71 minutes when Tobol dropped off the midfielder 30 yards out. The rebound fell for Will Patching in the box and he went down looking for a penalty but instead received a yellow card for simulation.

The visitors should have been level on 79 minutes when a poor goal kick from Konovalov fell to Patching on the edge of the box. He quickly picked out Duffy who skipped away from Rogač but, with the angle tight, he could only find the side netting from ten yards out.

Tobol Kostanay: Konovalov, Kairov (Gabaraev 67), Rogač, Mlađović, Asrankulov, Zharynbetov (Ilic 67), Muzhikov (Zabelin 89), Orazov (Shakhov 67), Chesnokov, Vukadinović (Ivanović 78), Déblé.

Derry City: Maher, Boyce, Connolly, McJannet, Doherty, O’Reilly (P McEleney 69), Diallo, Patching (McEneff 82), McMullan (B Kavanagh 89), Duffy, C Kavanagh (McGonigle 69).

Referee: S Ebner (Austria)

Man of the Match: Sadou Diallo

Match rating: 6/10