Derry City were 'a small step ahead' admits HB Torshavn head coach

Sadou Diallo's first half goal from a corner kick decided the tie after 180 minutes and Joensen was disappointed with how his team performed in the opening 45 minutes, particularly at set-play situations.

"We were not satisfied with the first half and it was the small things in football which are so important; winning the first ball, winning the second ball, winning the set-pieces.

And then we just needed to work ourselves back into it."We knew we could be better than that. We were disappointed with our performance in the first half but I think we had a better second half.

"We had prepared set-pieces and knew either way it could be the difference between the two teams and it was. Unfortunately for us it was for Derry City. Set pieces are very important. It was a good set piece from Derry but obviously we are disappointed with our performance during that.

"With the game in the balance after a scoreless draw in the Faroes, did Joensen expect to progress?"You can't expect anything in life. You can't expect anything in football either but if you work hard enough, if you do the simple things in football that are so important then you always have a good chance.

"In the first half we think that Derry were a small step ahead of us in those little things and that's why I think they played a better first half than we did.

"We also struggled a bit in the beginning of the second half but then we got better and better. We could've got a goal at the end and I think we gave them a good match.

"Congratulations to them. They had chances but we did also. There's a dressing room down here where they are very disappointed but I think we gave all we had in the end.

"I think overall Derry were probably the better team. They created more chances especially in the first half they were better but in the second half they created chances because we had to take some chances. I think if we played these two matches 10 times more than Derry would not go through every time.

"I think we gave it a go and I wish them all the best but I think on another day we would've won in Torshavn. Derry are a strong team. We are also a strong team but congratulations to them."

The Faroese coach wasn't pleased with how Czech referee Tomas Klima managed the game, claiming Derry got the benefit of all the 50/50 decisions.

"We were not satisfied with the way the referee was dealing freekicks and stuff like that. When people can say a coach or a player didn't have a good day at the job then I think I can say I didn't think the referee didn't do a good job. It's not an excuse but there's clearly frustration in our squad about small things, some small free-kicks. I think they had 100 per cent of the 50/50 situations.

"It's not an excuse because Derry is a good team but we were not satisfied with that so we're a bit disappointed with ourselves."The frustrations of the match aside, Joensen enjoyed his first experience in Europe as a manager and felt the Derry support perhaps edged the tie for the Brandywell men.

"It was good," he said. "Now we are just disappointed but it's a special stadium with the structure. Maybe it was them that made the difference. All credit to all the supporters and everything around here. We have nothing to complain about. We always look inside and then we look forward."