After losing 2:0 on half time in its European debut in the UEFA Conference League 1st qualifying round by Icelandic side Breiðablik, Tikvesh turned the result around in the second half for a 3:2 win in its European debut.
photo by GFK Tikvesh Kavadarci
Tikvesh’s coach Gjorgji Mojsov opted for Stefan Tasev between the posts, left back Mihail Manevski, right back captain Aleksandar Varelovski, central defenders Oliver Stoimenovski and former national team player Daniel Mojsov, in the midfield Brazilian international Robertinho and Mile Todorov, Kristijan Stojkoski as attacking midfielder, left wing Martin Stojanov, right wing Ediz Spahiu and up front Gjorgi Gjorgjiev.
If Tikvesh fielded 10 Macedonians and 1 foreigner, Breiðablik started with 11 domestic players. The referees of the match were from Luxembourg with Jérémy Muller as the main official. FFM’s president Muamed Sejdini was on the stands supporting Tikvesh.
Breiðablik had the first ball and went in attack, but Tikvesh stole the ball and made a counter attack that ended with Gjorgjiev heading the ball for A. Einarsson’s first save in the 1st minute.
The Icelandic visitors had the possession, but it was Tikvesh who kept creating chances. A counter attack in the 7th minutes resulted with Stojkoski making a bag finish, while four minutes later Gjorgjiev again tried with a header, this time A. Einarsson making a great save.
Breiðablik punished Tikvesh in the 13th minute when Thorvaldsson served V. Einarsson in the box. He was left unmarked and easily scored past 20-year-old Tasev, who has only 15 appearances in the Macedonian top flight. He came to Tikvesh this summer from second league side Vardar from the neighboring town of Negotino.
A great opportunity came for Tikvesh in the 28th minute when Spahiu from close range from the left took a shot but A. Einarsson made another save. The Kavadarci based team kept pressing, but their inexperience was brutally punished in the 31st minute. Kristinsson scored from left from an unbelievable angle when everyone thought he would try to assist in the box.
Finally the young Macedonian keeper made a good save when in the 39th minute denied A. Bjarnason a close range goal. The Iceland visitors showed that they are currently in a far better form, which in no surprise since their league is currently underway, while for Tikvesh it is a first competitive match since the end of May. Put on that the fact that this is Tikvesh’s international debut and the result is no surprise.
For 45 minutes a theatrical atmosphere was among the 2.000 spectators on the stadium with Tikvesh’s ultras group Lozari entering the East stand during the half-time break.
Coach Mojsov, not satisfied with the performance, before the second half made three changes bringing on Blagoja Spirkoski and the two Brazilian summer acquisitions Vitão and Léo Guerra. They substituted Gjorgjiev, Stoimenovski and Todorov.
Tikvesh started pressing for a goal. Stojkoski took a corner kick from left in the 50th minute that resulted in Spahiu missing the ball on the far post. Besides that chance Tikvesh failed to create others, but the visitors in the 66th minute missed a good opportunity for 3:0. They combined too much in the box ending with Steindórsson missing the target.
Eventually in the 74th minute Tikvesh found the back of the Icelandic net. It was Kristijan Stojkoski who scored past A. Einarsson after a god assist by Spahiu.
Five minutes later Sigurdarson brought down Vitão for a free kick at around 25 meters. Martin Stojanov took the shot and fired perfectly into the net, equalizing the score at 2:2.
The spectators were still celebrating the equalizer when Brazilian forward Léo Guerra came from the left and beat A. Einarsson on the far post. What a come back for the Macedonian Cup winners! Tikvesh took the lead, 3:2!
In the injury time experienced defender Mojsov almost scored a stunning own goal as while trying to clear the ball he sent it towards the goal, luckily it went close in a corner kick. In the next minute Spahiu went one on one with the visiting keeper, but failed to beat him.
The match ended 3:2 for Tikvesh, a great ending having in mind that Breiðablik was leading 2:0 for 74 minutes. Tikvesh is the lone Macedonian team in Europe who managed to win as earlier today Shkendija was defeated 2:0 away to Armenian side Noah in this same competition, while champions Struga yesterday fell 4:2 to Slovan in Bratislava in the Champions League qualifiers.
The return leg is scheduled for next Thursday (18 July) in Kopavogur with a kick-off at 21.15 CET (19.15 local time).
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