Borec is the winner of the play-of match between the runners-up of the two second league groups after beating Gostivar on penalty kicks.

photo by Filip Zdraveski: moment into the first half

Very tough and equal play during the first half from both sides. The best chance came in the 34th minute for Borec when Marko Gjorgjievski should have reacted much better when heading the ball towards the opponent’s goal. On the far post he managed to miss the target.

Similar opportunity had Gostivar in the 40th minute. Fatmir Arif received a cross in the box, was alone and instead of taking the time he decided to try a quick header which resulted into missing the target.

Just five minutes after the break Borec missed a colossal chance when Gjorgji Gjorgjiev’s shot missed the target by millimeters. In the very next minute Gostivar came close to scoring.

These two chances announced that both teams would play much more open in the second half. And that really happened as few semi-serious opportunities followed on both goals.

But neither team managed to score a goal so according to the rules immediately after the 90th minute the game went into penalty shoot-outs.

Gostivar took the first penalty which happened to be decisive as they missed it. The unlucky player was Ilirid Ademi whose shot was saved by keeper Mikica Gjorgievski. All the other players of both teams converted their penalties and at the end it was Borec who celebrated a 5:4 win.

The penalties:

Borec will now face Pobeda (8th place in the first league) in the play-off final. The match will be played at the Mladost stadium in Strumica on Saturday. The winner will book a place for the 2018/19 season of the Macedonian top flight.

To view the match photo gallery, click here.

Petar Miloshevski stadium in Skopje
Borec – Gostivar 0:0; 5:4 p.s.o.
Goals: /
Borec: 1. Mikica Gjorgievski; 23. Nikola Risteski, 4. Darko Ilovski (C), 21. Kristijan Ackovski (62′ 9. Andrej Kudijan), 17. Toni Mirchevski, 20. Andrej Acevski, 7. Gjorgji Gjorgjiev, 8. Robert Kocev, 19. Marko Gjorgjievski (79′ 18. Trajche Trajkov), 10. Kristijan Nikolovski, 11. Darko Jocikj (86′ 14. Kristijan Eftimov).
Gostivar: 25. Jasir Bajrami; 14. Blendi Bekteshi, 6. Admir Demiri (C), 4. Hristijan Grozdanoski, 5. Hakan Limani, 21. Sabit Bilali (86′ 16. Djemail Esati), 20. Liris Bedjeti, 7. Fatmir Arif (58′ 11. Ersin Fetahi), 18. Florent Osmani, 9. Bashkim Ljama (71′ 17. Bekim Miftari).
Yellow cards: Demiri (G)
Red cards: /
Referee: Marjan Markoski (Ohrid)