Vardar two times had the lead in the game away to Dinamo, the Croatian side two times equalized and in the end even won the game, and thus eliminated the Macedonian champion.

Goce Sedloski changed the starting line-up compared to the last game, most surprising was that he benched Tome Pachovski to give a chance to U21 national team member Igor Aleksovski.

Vardar played offensive football from the first minute. Jasir Asani had the first chance when he fired a shot from inside the box, unfortunately his effort was deflected by Dinamo’s goalie. In the 36th minute Juan Felipe took a free kick, Hambardzumyan received the ball and his header hit the post. Just three minutes later, Darko Velkovski opened the score when he fired a precise and at the same time strong shot from about 30 metres. In the 43rd minute Soudani’s shot from just outside the box strucked the wood, the ball fell on the line, but luckily didn’t end up in Vardar’s goal.

Nine minutes after the break Hambardzumyan fouled Pjaca in the box, the following penalty was converted by the fouled player. Four minutes later Vardar had a good opportunity through a free-kick close to the box on the left hand side, but Hambardzumyan’s shot was punched out for a corner by the goalkeeper. Vardar again had the lead in the 62nd minute. Stefan Spirovski started the situation with an aggressive tackle, afterwards the ball came to the left side and Gordan Schildenfeld scored an own goal after a cross by Vardar’s winger Damir Kojašević. In the 69th minute Spirovski used his hand in the box, therefore Dinamo had the second penalty in the second half, and again Pjaca was the man who converted.

Twelve minutes from time Paulo Machado decided the duel when he received a ball from the left side and scored with a right footed shot from 16 metres. Maybe Aleksovski would have catched the ball, but central defender Novak deflected the shot, so Aleksovski was out of position. After that goal Vardar obviously was dispirited, they were not able to push forward and Dinamo easily hold the lead.

https://youtube.com/watch?v=OjTZKpgcQJU

Combined, Vardar put up a good fight, but in the end it was clear that Dinamo possesses more individual quality, especially in the offense. Vardar was equal over long stretches, however this is not enoughas it is also important to be effective on the offensive end.

Dinamo Zagreb – Vardar 3:2
Scorers: 55′ (pen), 70′ (pen) Marko Pjaca, 78′ Paulo Machado – 39′ Darko Velkovski, 62′ (og) Gordon Schildenfeld
Vardar: Aleksovski; Hambardzumyan, Grncharov (C), Novak, Glisikj; Spirovski, Velkovski, Juan Felipe; Kojašević, Asani, Balotelli.