Macedonia played a goalless drawa away against Bosnia-Herzegovina with coach Sedloski giving playing time to a total of 22 players.
photo by FFM: Armin Gigović and Bojan Miovski
Coach Goce Sedloski decided to give a chance from the first minute to one of the six players waiting for their debut, and that is the right back Georgije Jankulov from Vardar. He started with the standard Stole Dimitrievski in goal, who is captain in the absence of the injured Enis Bardhi. In defense are Visar Musliu, Darko Velkovski and Gjoko Zajkov, in the lateral positions Sebastian Herrera on the left and debutant Jankulov on the right, in the midfield Boban Nikolov and Jani Atanasov, and in the offensive Elif Elmas, Elmin Rastoder and Bojan Miovski.
The Bosnian coach, as he announced yesterday, came out with a combined lineup, leaving Edin Džeko, Tarik Muharemović and other regular national team players on the bench. However, he also announced that he would make many changes in the second half.
The national anthems:
The Bosnians were the first to threaten in the 4th minute when Alajbegović fired a shot, blocked by Jankulov, but the ball continued towards the Macedonian goal and ended up in the crossbar. Macedonia fired the first shot by accident, when in the 11th minute there was a misunderstanding in the Bosnian defense, Miovski stole the ball, but fired a weak shot directly at the goalkeeper.
Miovski had a colossal chance to open the score in the 32nd minute, again after a home mistake. This time Katić made a mistake after a pass from goalkeeper Zlomisić, Miovski took the ball, eliminated the goalkeeper, but Radeljić kicked the ball in front of the goal line.
In the 37th minute, Gigović fired a strong shot from outside the penalty area, but directly into Dimitrievski. The penultimate minute before the break was in progress when Bajraktarević sent a cross from the right to the far post where Baždar headed the ball into the near post.
At half-time Sedloski made five substitutions: debutants Din Alomerović and Azer Omeragić came on, as well as Agon Elezi, Darko Churlinov and Imran Fetai. Jankulov, Zajkov, Herrera, Atanasov and Rastoder came out. The Bosnians changed as many as ten players, and only Benjamin Tahirović remained from the starting 11. The most active player, Esmir Bajraktarević, also came off.
The Bosnians started quite offensively after the break, threatening on several occasions, but without testing Dimitrievski.
At the 60th minute another four substitutions made Sedloski introducing Milan Ristovski, Nikola Serafimov, debutante Darko Angjeleski and keeper Damjan Shishkovski at the place od Dimitrievski, Velkovski, Miovski nad Nikolov, for whom this was his 50th national team appearance. The Bosnians also changed, Tahirović came off.
Five minutes from time Sedloski made the 11th substitutions introducing defender Jovan Manev at the place of Musliu.
The match ended as it starter – 0:0, with not much entertainment and chances.
This was the 6th encounter between Macedonia and Bosnia-Herzegovina and the 4th draw. Both have one win each with 8:8 goal-difference.