Two out of three play-off games for filling the Second League took place today in which Ljubanci and Akademija Pandev recorded wins.

With a hat-trick by Hadjija Destan, the only Second League side in the play-offs managed to make a solid advantage before the return leg. Ljubanci beat the winner of the Third League South-West, Novaci with 3:1 showing that the difference between levels is still remarkable. Novaci still isn’t eliminated, but will have a mountain to climb on Sunday.

Gradski stadium in Kichevo
Ljubanci – Novaci 3:1 (1:1)
Scorers: 8′, 53′, 88′ Destan Hadjija – 24′ Toni Veljanoski
Ljubanci: Borjan Ristovski; Antonio Antoniev, Radenko Bojović (c), Kirche Krstevski, Blagoja Galovikj, Filip Stojanovski, Filip Kolekjeski, Konstantin Cheshmedjiev, Toni Brnjarchevski (75′ Ivo Janakievski), Destan Hadjija (90’+2 Gjorgji Gjorgjiev), Robert Mitev (71′ Ivanche Nasevski).
Novaci: Nikolche Simonovski; Vladimir Nedanovski, Kiril Stepanovski (c), Ilir Elmazovski, Toni Veljanoski, Darko Milevski (68′ Ivancho Mladenovikj), Hristijan Nikolovski, Marjan Kotevski, Hristijan Lavurovski (46′ Ilche Talevski), Antonio Stojkovski (76′ Antonio Grujovski), Hristijan Atanasovski.
Yellow cards: Mitev, Bojović, Galovikj, Antoniev (Lj), Nikolovski, Milevski, Stepanovski (N)
Red cards: /
Referee: Dalibor Gjorgjevski (Kumanovo)
Assistants: Orce Stefanovski (Kratovo), Martin Petkovski (Kumanovo)
Fourth official: Aleksandar Grujoski (Kichevo)

For many the team of Akademija Pandev is the strongest in the play-offs, but the winners of the East did show that in the game against Goblen Junior, winner of the North. It was even the outsiders that broke the dead lock after a counter attack and a mistake in the home defence. Akademija Pandev managed to turn the result in their favour thanks to an own goal and a good shot by Zoran Zlatkovski after the break. The Strumica based team has the lead, but Goblen Junior showed that can be dangerous and won’t give up easily.

Nikola Mantov stadium in Kochani
Akademija Pandev – Goblen Junior 2:1 (1:1)
Scorers: 31′ (og) Bunjamin Shahini, 51′ Zoran Zlatkovski – 16′ Zaid Memeti
Akademija Pandev: Doncho Nikolov; Mihail Manevski, Ivan Gjorgiev (76′ Aleksandar Malinov), Ljupcho Doriev, Aleksandar Varelovski, Filip Despotovski, Bojan Ivanov (60′ Valentin Kochoski), Gjorgi Markov, Zoran Zlatkovski, Kemal Alomerovikj (85′ Daniel Radojchikj), Dragan Nachevski (c).
Goblen Junior: Slagjan Kralevski, Bunjamin Shahini, Orhan Aliu, Zaid Memeti, Ekrem Memedi, Ergin Sherifi, Erkan Aliu (77′ Egzon Aziri), Arbnor Jaiji (46′ Suad Jakupi), Mergim Ljutfiu, Bekim Ramadani (c) (55′ Sedat Kjerimi), Iljber Alili.
Yellow cards: Zlatkovski, Alomerovikj (AP), Alili, Memedi, Shahini, E. Aliu, O. Aliu (GJ)
Red cards: /
Referee: Bobi Velichkov (Veles)
Assistants: Goran Manasiev, Petar Novachev (Veles)
Fourth official: Igor Ivanov (Veles)

The return legs are scheduled for Sunday at 14.00 CET at the same venues. In the same time will be played the first leg of the last play-off game between Vardar Negotino and Vardari because of the known reasons.