Rabotnichki advanced thanks to penalty kicks, while Metalurg prevailed with a late goal, setting up Rabotnichki vs. Metalurg as the Macedonian Cup final.
The current leaders in the First League, Rabotnichki, had a 2:0 lead over Bregalnica from the first leg played in Skopje, but the Blues fought back in the return leg and eliminated that lead after 90 minutes. Bregalnica led 2:0 at the conclusion of the match, the exact score that Rabotnichki won at home, so the game went into penalty kicks. Eftim Aksentiev had opened the score in the middle of the first half, while Ivan Mitrov scored the second goal seven minutes from time with a great strike. In the penalty shootout (no extra time at this stage, that is only for the final), eight series of penalty kick takers were needed in order for a winner to be determined. Rabotnichki eventually prevailed 5:4 when goalkeeper Petar Basnarkov saved Slavco Velkovski’s shot.
Thus, Bregalnica missed a great chance to play in the cup final for their first time, while Rabotnichki will play in its 5th cup final. So far, they have won the trophy on two occasions, the last one coming in 2009. Rabotnichki has, however, lost the last two times they have been in the cup final, back in 2010 to Teteks and again in 2012 against Renova.
The second semi-final was also close and needed a late goal to propel Metalurg past Teteks. After a goalless draw in the first leg, Metalurg and Teteks seemed headed for another goalless draw, but Marko Simonovski had other plans and his header in the 80th minute was enough to eliminate Teteks, the reigning champions of the Macedonian Cup. Metalurg goes to the final for the second time in their history. Their prior appearance came in 2011 when they won the cup by beating the same opponent as this game, Teteks, 2:0. Meanwhile, Teteks, currently in the second division, had a good run and came very close to reaching cup final once again.
The 22nd edition of the Macedonian Cup final will take place on 7 May at the National Arena Philip II of Macedon in Skopje.
Bregalnica – Rabotnichki 2:0 (2:2 on agg., 4:5 penalty shootout)
27′ Eftim Aksentiev, 83′ Ivan Mitrov
| Bregalnica | 4 |
: |
5 |
Rabotnichki |
| Zdravkov | X |
O |
Milushev | |
| Markoski | X |
X |
Ilievski | |
| Blazhevski | X |
X |
Ilijoski | |
| Mitrov | O |
O |
Manevski | |
| Aksentiev | O |
X |
Todorovski | |
| Stupić | O |
O |
Velkovski | |
| Shishkov | O |
O |
Sulejmanov | |
| Velkovski | X |
O |
Petrovikj |
Metalurg – Teteks 1:0 (1:0 on agg.)
80′ Marko Simonovski
For highlights of Bregalnica vs. Rabotnichki, click here.
Highlights of Metalurg vs. Teteks:
https://youtube.com/watch?v=TU35lz4Q04o