A stoppage time goal saw Pelister defeating Vardar away to maintain salvation hopes, Rabotnichki beat Akademija Pandev and came third after Sileks fall to Pobeda. Shkupi got closer to an Europa League spot with a victory over Renova, while Shkendija probably ended Skopje’s chances for avoiding relegation.
photo: Blagoja Naumoski scores the winner for Pelister
The Derby of Macedonia took place in Skopje. Vardar hosted Pelister in a game of huge importance for the Bitola visitors. After a 1:1 first half the home team took the lead with a penalty goal in the 60th minute putting Pelister players in despair. However, the visitors didn’t gave up and equalized nine minutes later. When the game seemed to end 2:2, Naumoski brought joy to his team with second injury minute winning goal. Pelister hosts Shkupi and travels to Shkendija in the last two rounds.
National Arena Philip II of Macedon in Skopje
Vardar – Pelister 2:3 (1:1)
Goals: 8′ Tigran Barseghyan, 60′ (pen) Dejan Blazhevski – 13′ (pen) Ive Trifunovski, 69′ Blagojche Konjarski, 90’+2 Blagoja Naumoski
Referee: Marjan Eckoski (Ohrid)
Pobeda didn’t let Pelister to catch them. Danoski was the hero because thanks to his goal the Prilep team edged Sileks clinching important points. With this defeat now Sileks is in danger of losing the Europa League spot.
Mladost stadium in Strumica
Pobeda – Sileks 1:0 (0:0)
Goals: 49′ Zoran Danoski
Referee: Zorancho Temelkov (Kavadarci)
Sileks’ defeat was used used by Rabotnichki to over take the third place. The Debar Maalo boys visited Akademija Pandev and celebrated with a late goal. The home team was left with ten men in the 63rd minute when Cheshmedjiev collected his second yellow card, but the Reds could not score until three minutes from time when Nigerian striker Chinedu found the back of the home net.
Kukush stadium in Turnovo
Akademija Pandev – Rabotnichki 0:1 (0:0)
Goals: 87′ Geoffrey Chinedu
Red cards: 63′ Konstantin Cheshmedjiev (AP)
Referee: Dimitar Mechkarovski (Skopje)
Not only Rabotnichki but also Shkupi profited from Sileks’ defeat. They smashed Renova with 3:0 and came close to the Kratovo team to only a point. Rabotnichki, Sileks and Shkupi are fighting for the remaining two Europa League places, but keep in mind that if Pelister wins the Macedonian Cup they will claim one place leaving this trio with only one spot.
Chair stadium in Skopje
Shkupi – Renova 3:0 (1:0)
Goals: 10′ Kristijan Stojkoski, 86′ Bazhe Ilijoski, 89′ Ermedin Adem
Referee: Dejan Jakimovski (Skopje)
Champions Shkendija welcomed and defeated Skopje. After only two minutes of play the red and black team announced that they aren’t planing to give away points. Demir gave Skopje a hope for a positive outcome scoring and early equalizer, but despite having a draw at half time Skopje failed to resist after the break and lost the game conceding two more goals. They are not again at the last place three points away from Pobeda and the play-out spot. And in the very next round will probably learn their fate as they are hosting Pobeda.
Gradski stadium in Tetovo
Shkendija – Skopje 3:1 (1:1)
Goals: 2′ Marjan Radeski, 48′ Izair Emini, 88′ Armend Alimi – 13′ Benjamin Demir
Referee: Aleksandar Stavrev (Skopje)
1.MFL 2017/18
| Pos | Club | Pts | P | W | D | L | F | A | GD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Shkëndija | 91 | 36 | 29 | 4 | 3 | 101 | 27 | 74 |
| 2 |  Vardar | 56 | 36 | 16 | 8 | 12 | 53 | 41 | 12 |
| 3 |  Rabotnichki | 52 | 36 | 14 | 10 | 12 | 50 | 43 | 7 |
| 4 |  Shkupi | 51 | 36 | 13 | 12 | 11 | 51 | 46 | 5 |
| 5 |  Sileks | 50 | 36 | 13 | 11 | 12 | 30 | 37 | -7 |
| 6 |  Akademija Pandev | 42 | 36 | 10 | 12 | 14 | 43 | 47 | -4 |
| 7 |  Renova | 41 | 36 | 10 | 11 | 15 | 36 | 53 | -17 |
| 8 |  Pobeda | 38 | 36 | 10 | 8 | 18 | 36 | 56 | -20 |
| 9 |  Skopje | 35 | 36 | 7 | 14 | 15 | 24 | 43 | -19 |
| 10 |  Pelister | 34 | 36 | 8 | 10 | 18 | 37 | 68 | -31 |