Despite only calling up 18 players for the trip to Moscow on 8 September and the Skopje encounter with Estonia four days later, Srecko Katanec has decided to dispense with Nikoloski and Naumoski, who have both been ever-present in the qualification campaign to date. 

Katanec welcomes back S.S. Lazio forward Goran Pandev, who missed last week’s friendly against Nigeria, defender Nikolce Noveski and midfielder Aleksandar Mitreski.

Macedonian squad:

Goalkeepers: Petar Milosevski (Enosis Neon Paralimni FC), Jorde Georgievski (FK Vardar).

Defenders: Goce Sedloski (SV Mattersburg), Igor Mitreski (FC Energie Cottbus), Nikolce Noveski (1. FSV Mainz 05), Aleksandar Vasoski (Eintracht Frankfurt), Goran Popov (Levadiakos FC), Vlade Lazarevski (Groclin Grodzisk Wielkopolski).

Midfielders: Aleksandar Mitreski (FC Koln), Velice Sumulikoski (Bursaspor), Darko Tasevski (PFC Levski Sofia), Vanco Trajanov (PFC Chernomorets Burgas), Vlatko Grozdanoski (AC Omonia), Artim Polozani (TuS Koblenz).

Forwards: Goran Pandev (S.S. Lazio), Goran Maznov (FC Tom Tomsk), Stevica Ristić (Jeonbuk FC), Aco Stojkov (Debreceni VSC)