Vardar remains the lone Macedonian participant in the Conference League after tonight’s return leg matches.

photo by La Fiorita: João Felipe brakes the dead lock

Rabotnichki came into the match with an unrealistic wish to overcome the 3:0 negative from the first leg, but every hope died in the 14th minute when the home defense forgot to mark Nigerian forward Steven Alfred who scored on a header.

The hosts never recovered, failed to create a serious chance, while Torpedo could have add more goals but young keeper Vasko Vasilev on two occasions miraculously came out victorious in one on one chances.

Highlights:

After 6 years not playing in Europe, Rabotnichki farewelled by losing both matches and didn’t even score a goal. Torpedo advanced in the second round with 4:0 on aggregate and will now face Israeli side Maccabi Haifa.

Sileks had more realistic hopes trailing a 2:0 loss against Montenegrin side Dečić. But after just 3 minutes of play Vuk Striković scored to make it 3:0 on aggregate.

Sileks didn’t give up and equalized in the 28th minute through Adi Alić. After the break Sileks kept pressuring. In the 61st minute Ilija Donov hit the crossbar from a 25-meter free kick. Ten minutes from time Darko Dodev perfectly found Aldin Hrvanović in the box and Sileks took a much needed 2:1 lead. Unfortunately failed to add a third for extra time and Dečić won 3:2 on aggregate. In the second round will face Austrian giant Rapid.

Highlights:

The Kratovo based team continued the bad record of exiting in Europe after only one round. The only time Sileks managed to eliminate an opponent was in their first ever European adventure back in 1995 in the now defunct UEFA Cup Winners’ Cup.

Vardar’s match came last today starting at 21.00 CET. It did not start good for the Macedonian giants as after just 10 minutes La Fiorita took the lead from the spot as veteran defender Nenad Mishkovski played with hand in the box. João Felipe successfully converted it. Vardar equalized through a similar foul play. Tommaso Zafferani played with hand and Rogers Mato scored from the spot.

Six minutes from time Argentinian substitute Diego Castañeda sent a cross in the home box looking for Omeragikj when Andrea Grandoni put the ball in his own net. Vardar dropped the win the stoppage time when Georgije Jankulov while trying to head the ball to keeper Davor Taleski did it with too much forse and scored an own goal setting the final score of 2:2.

Hihglights:

Vardar win with 5:2 on aggregate and in the next round will play against Swiss side Lausanne.