Goalkeeper Martin Bogatinov is currently on trial with Neftçi, looking to secure a deal with the club from Azerbaijan.

Over the weekend, during a friendly, Martin Bogatinov played the 2nd half in Neftçi’s 1:0 loss to Shakhtar Donetsk. He conceded a quick goal in the 47th minute, or about two minutes after entering the match, but he was able to keep his net clean the rest of the way. Whether he will be offered a contract remains to be seen at this time.

Below, you can see the moment Shakhtar Donetsk scored its goal (at 1:21) past Bogatinov:

The fact that Bogatinov has to go on trial with a club like Neftçi further demonstrates the problems facing Macedonian internationals on the transfer market. Bogatinov was the national team starter not too long ago, and this trial period is pretty telling as to how Macedonian footballers are perceived by foreign clubs, even in the Azeri league.

UPDATE: Neftçi decided not to sign Martin Bogatinov. Simply put, the club’s manager didn’t think that Martin was better than the existing options. Bogatinov will continue his search for a new home.