Derry City with it all to do after first-leg defeat to Riga

Derry City's Europa Conference League adventure looks set to end at the first hurdle.

City's ten men were second best against Latvian side Riga, who with a bit more composure could have won by a bigger margin, at a packed Ryan McBride Brandywell Stadium.

Ruaidhri Higgins' side never really got going and their night was summed up when Matty Smith was dismissed just after the hour mark, as the striker's frustration seemed to get the better of him when he clashed with Glody Ngonda.

A defensive error by Shane McEleney resulted in Gabriel Ramos breaking the deadlock on 41 minutes and the game was put to bed soon after Matty Smith's red-card when the lively Oleksandr Filippov netted.

Neither side created much in the early stages with Douglas Aurellio blasting over for Riga, while Eoin Toal's header was easily gathered by Nils Tomas Purins.

Purins was called into action on 17 minutes as Will Patching's 25 yard dipping free-kick was well held by the Riga keeper.

Riga front man Filippov should have done better moments later when he got free inside the box, but his tame shot was straight at Maher.

The visitors broke the deadlock on 41 minutes as Filippov ghosted in behind McEleney, before stretching to keep the ball in and his cut-back found Ramos and he gleefully fired home into the net.

Soon after the lively Filippov should have doubled Riga's lead but after creating some space inside the box, his left footed curling effort sailed off target. City suffered an injury set-back on 52 minutes as Ronan Boyce had to be replaced by new signing Ryan Graydon.

Full match details

Derry were reduced to ten men on 66 minutes as Smith was shown a straight red card by Vilhjalmur Thorarinsson, after clashing with Ngonda.

Now a man up, Riga added a second