HNK Rijeka knocks out Derry City in Conference League HNK Rijeka defeated Derry City 2-0 on aggregate in the second round of the Conference League. Coach Matjaž Kek was pleased with the result and recalled his first visit to Brandywell 30 years ago. League standing (final 2025 table -- new season not yet under way): 4th in HNL, 41 pts, 11W-8D-10L from 29 games, recent form LWLLW. ## Who is Matjaž Kek and what does he mean for Rijeka? Matjaž Kek is the coach of HNK Rijeka and was a player for NK Maribor when they faced Derry City in the Champions League qualifiers in 1997. Kek was at the heart of Maribor's defense and helped his team to a 2-0 aggregate victory. ## Who was Rijeka's opponent in this match? Rijeka played against Derry City, who were in the final stages of their season. Derry had more experience and were in good form, but Rijeka managed to secure the win. ## What's next for Rijeka? Rijeka will face Ilves in the third round of the Conference League. Kek is satisfied with the result but knows he needs to improve his team's performance. Next fixture: vs HNK Gorica (away, 2027-02-20) (8th in the table).