Vardar moved to first place on the table after today’s hard fought 3:2 victory over Bregalnica in Stip.

Vardar was made to work after defender Miroslav Vajs received a red card in the 17th minute.  Bregalnica midfielder Goran Zdravkov converted the subsequent penalty and gave the home side a 1:0 lead.  Despite playing with 10 men, Vardar managed to score two goals prior to the end of the half thanks to Toni Veljanovski and Filip Ivanovski.  Veljanovski scored the equalizer in the 23rd minute with a header before Ivanovski gave Vardar the lead in the 42nd minute by converting a penalty.  Vlatko Grozdanoski, making his debut for Vardar after sitting out for two months, won the penalty after being fouled inside the area by the opposing keeper.

In the 2nd half, Vardar held the lead well before they got added breathing room in the 85th minute when 18-year-old Mite Cikarski scored his first goal in a Vardar uniform.  Three minutes later, Martin Siskov pulled one goal back for Bregalnica to cut the lead but Vardar managed to hang on to the slim win that propelled them to the top of the table.  Vardar now has 19 points after 7 rounds, two more than second place Metalurg who played a goalless draw against Ohrid yesterday. 

Highlights of the game, courtesy of Sport Efe:

Bregalnica – Vardar 2:3
17′ (pen) Goran Zdravkov, 88′ Martin Siskov – 23′ Toni Veljanovski, 42′ (pen) Filip Ivanovski, 85′ Mite Cikarski