It finished 3-3 on the night, with Derry winning 5-4 on aggregate.
What a result for the Candystripes who will now face Tobol Kostanay of Kazakhstan in the next round, who shocked Basel.
The Brandywell men had to come from behind twice to seal a well-earned 3-3 draw at the Väre Areena.
Taking an early lead through Cian Kavanagh, Derry conceded twice before the break with Jasse Tuominen and Saku Savolainen putting the home side ahead at the interval. However, to their credit, Derry equalised thanks to Sadou Diallo’s 55th minute strike to go back in front on aggregate.
Savolainen scored his second on the night moments later but Michael Duffy’s stunning header just after the hour mark sealed the aggregate success.
The win means the Candystripes now travel to Kazakhstan to face Tobol, who shocked last season’s Europa Conference League’s semi-finalists Basel.
Just before kick-off, City boss Ruaidhrí Higgins raced over to the small, dedicated travelling support to show his appreciation. Derry didn’t help themselves in the early stages though as they gifted possession twice in quick succession but fortunately for the visitors, Collins Sichenje fired wide from long range.
The deadlock was broken after 13 minutes as Paul McMullan raced clear down the right to latch onto Cameron Dummigan’s pass, before his delightful centre found Cian Kavanagh and the big striker gleefully headed home from close range.
That Kavanagh goal was a massive blow to the home side and gave City a fantastic boost. Ronan Boyce, who was celebrating his 100th appearance for the club, headed just wide and Ben Doherty also went close as they grew stronger
KuPS drew level after 24 minutes as Anton Popovitch’s in-swinging left-wing corner found Jasse Tuominen, who headed home from close range after Brian Maher had failed to punch clear.
Derry suffered a big injury set-back on the half-hour mark as skipper Patrick McEleney had to be replaced by Diallo, the gifted midfielder seeming to pick up a thigh problem.
Right on the stroke of half-time, KuPS got themselves in front as Tete Yengi set up Saku Savolainen, whose close-range shot deflected off the unfortunate Cameron McJannet and went past Maher into the net.
Derry regained the lead in the tie in the 55th minute as Diallo netted his second goal in the competition this season, the midfielder blasting home from 20 yards after his initial shot had been blocked.
KuPS regained the lead moments later when a slick passing move ended with Savolainen racing onto the through ball before calmly slotting home past Maher.
Like so many times in the tie, it was the team who went behind that then started to get the upper hand and Derry should have levelled things on 67 minutes as a fine team move ended with Ben Doherty’s left-wing cross setting up a Kavanagh downward header that was saved by a diving Keridl.
Derry deservedly equalised two minutes later though as Diallo’s stunning centre from the right found Duffy, who ghosted in at the back post to powerfully head home into the far corner.
After Duffy’s bullet header, the home side put all their big players up front and continued to pump high balls into the Derry box, but at no stage did they trouble ‘keeper Maher and Derry sealed a superb away performance to book their place in the third qualifying round for only their second time in the club’s history.
KuPS Kuopio: Johannes Kreidl, Collins Sichenje, Saku Savolainen, Jasse Tuominen (Pyry Lampinen, 86), Jaakki Oksanen (Sebastian Dahlstrom, 86), Anton Popovitch (Gabriel Bispo, 71), Ibrahim Cissé, Arttu Heinonen (Axei Vidjeskog, 71), Seth Saarinen (Jake Jarvis, 71), Tete Yengi, Clinton Antwi.
Derry City: Brian Maher, Ronan Boyce, Mark Connolly, Cameron McJannet, Ben Doherty; Cameron Dummigan (Adam O’Reilly, 53), Patrtick McEleney (Sadou Diallo, 30), Will Patching; Paul McMullan (Shane McEleney, 79), Cian Kavanagh (Daniel Mullen, 79), Michael Duffy.
Referee: Dario Bel (Croatia)
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