For the second season in a row, the club from Arachinovo eliminated Rabotnichki from the Macedonian Cup, while the other second division team, Ohrid Lychnidos, eliminated on penalties the big favorite Vardar.
photo by GFK Ohrid Lychnidos: the players celebrates reaching the semis
A new cup sensation occurred today after second-league side Shkëndija 77 eliminated Rabotnichki and advanced to the semifinals.
The fact that the match was played on a neutral field in Kumanovo, due to the lack of conditions for the VAR system in their home ground in Skopje’s suburb of Singjelikj, did not help the top flight team from Debar Maalo.
Shkëndija 77 took the lead five minutes before the break with a stunning goal by Dario Desnikj, when he hit an undefended shot from about twenty meters. After the break, in the 58th minute, after an intervention from the VAR room, Pejović was shopwn the red card for a harsh tackle, leaving the Romantics with a man down. Just two minutes later, Shkëndija 77 doubled the lead.
However, Rabotnicki returned to the game in the 64th minute with a free kick goal scored by captain Besir Demiri. The guests, with one player less, did not have the strength to take a new initiative, so in the 85th minute Shkëndija 77 added a third goal for a final 3:1 win.
Highlights:
We remind you that Shkëndija 77 also knocked Rabotnichki out of the Cup last year, in the first round when they defeated them 2:0 as a third-league side.
In the second match, Vardar was a big favorite against the leader of the second league, Ohrid Lychnidos, but after 90 minutes they failed to defeat them. Vardar took the lead through Nikolov after exactly one hour of play, and in the dying moments substitute Mateski equalized, who seconds later was shown a second yellow card for his celebration and missed the penalty shootout.
The shootout started with saves from both goalkeepers. Later the Ohrid players were more successful with the decisive moment being the penalty kick by young Dimitar Danev, whose shot was saved by keeper Damjan Serafimov.
Highlights:
The match between Detonit Plachkovica and Sileks will be played tomorrow, with Ohrid playing against the winner in the semifinal. The last quarterfinal match between Struga and Shkëndija is scheduled for March 18, due to the Tetovo team’s appearance in the Conference League. the winner of this tie will face Shkëndija 77 in the semis.
This is the second time for both Shkëndija 77 and Ohrid to reach the semifinals of the Macedonian Cup, both times as second divisions teams. Ohrid did that in 1994 when was stopped by Pelister, while two years later Shkëndija 77 was eliminated by eventual winner Sloga Jugomagnat.
Baskimi Stadium in Kumanovo
Shkëndija 77 – Rabotnichki 3:1 (1:0)
Goals: 40′ Dario Desnikj, 60′ Nikolche Sharkoski, 85′ Zani Nazifi – 64′ Besir Demiri
Red cards: 58′ Nikola Pejović (R)
Referee: Aleksandar Grujoski (Kichevo)
Training Center Petar Miloshevski F2 in Novo Lisiche, Skopje
Vardar – Ohrid Lychnidos 1:1 (0:0); 2:4 p.s.o.
Goals: 60′ Boban Nikolov – 90′ David Mateski
Red cards: 90′ David Mateski (OL)
Referee: Dimitar Pileshkov (Stip)
| Vardar | 2 | 4 | Ohrid Lychnidos |
| Boban Nikolov | X | X | Blagoja Spirkoski |
| Stefan Cvetković | O | O | Abdulhadi Jahja |
| Nemanja Bosančić | O | O | Naumche Bakracheski |
| Dimitar Danev | X | O | Antonio Kalanoski |
| O | Darko Ilieski |