they won 2-0<\/a>.<\/p>\nAlan Reynolds\u2019 team dominated the ball for much of the night but struggled to create clear-cut chances until late on after Ross Tierney won a penalty on the hour mark which Douglas James-Taylor converted.<\/p>\n
![\"Adam](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/002497e9-614.jpg\"\/)
\nAdam O’Reilly is back for Derry<\/p>\n
DERRY AIDED BY CSKA VISA WOES<\/p>\n
CSKA\u2019s preparations have been hampered by visa problems after two of their key players were refused entry to the UK.<\/p>\n
Goalkeeper Fyodor Lapoukhov and midfielder Hristo Yanev are both absent from the travelling party after the club confirmed that they were unable to obtain receive UK visas.<\/p>\n
The duo are both Belarusian internationals and their country is subject to sanctions due to its part in the Russian invasion of Ukraine.<\/p>\n
While Yanev did not feature in the first leg, Lapoukhov was entrusted to keep goal in Sofia and manager Hristo Yanev will have to shuffle his deck at the Brandywell.<\/p>\n
Derry, meanwhile, are able to welcome back midfield duo Adam O’Reilly, who was suspended for the first leg, and Brandon Fleming, who missed out due to a family bereavement.<\/p>\n
City boss Tiernan Lynch believes that his side can turn the tie in their favour and called on the club\u2019s fans to make the difference in Derry.<\/p>\n
“We said coming into this, our main objective was to try make sure we’re still in the tie,” he insisted. “We’re not sitting here thinking this is a done deal by any stretch.<\/p>\n
“We know that we still have a mountain to climb. But I’d prefer to be climbing that mountain at Brandywell with five or six thousand of our own supporters behind us. It’s a game we must relish and look forward to.”<\/p>\n
![\"8](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/0024a997-614.jpg\"\/)
\nBohs manager Alan Reynolds<\/p>\n
BOHEMIANS TAKING NOTHING FOR GRANTED<\/p>\n
Bohs have travelled to Gibraltar with no visa issues. Manager Alan Reynolds has a full strength squad to chose from and may well stick with the same starting XI that earned a 2-0 win in the first leg.<\/p>\n
Reynolds is hoping for a better performance from his side after they laboured to victory in the club’s first European match at Dalymount in more than a decade.<\/p>\n
“We had to dig in and stick with it. It was difficult, but we got there,” was the Bohs manager’s verdict on the first game and he’s hoping that the lessons learned from that tie will help them in Gibraltar.<\/p>\n
“It was the first time a lot of those lads have played in Europe. It was the first European game at Dalymount Park in 14 years. “It was edgy, and patience isn’t great in football. It will help them (the players). Now we know what we\u2019re facing. We need to be better.”<\/p>\n
“We’re not good enough to go out there and think the job is done, we\u2019re not at that level, that\u2019s for sure.<\/p>\n
“The players are well aware of that, we know it\u2019s going to be tricky and we\u2019re preparing for that.”<\/p>\n
Reynolds side will face either Kosovan outfit Ballkani or Connah\u2019s Quay of Wales should they see out the tie – two teams that they would believe they can overcome.<\/p>\n
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