Two Maurice Deville goals in the 2nd half, including the game winner in stoppage time, led Luxembourg to a 2:1 victory over Macedonia.

The score tells the whole story.  The match was not televised and that turned out to be a positive as the Macedonia suffered an embarrassing 2:1 loss against Luxembourg.  The match could only be tracked on some radio in Luxembourg and on several betting sites that listed the score of the game.

Macedonia initially took the lead in the 25th minute through Ferhan Hasani with Goran Pandev providing the assist.  That lead carried into halftime but Luxembourg turned the game around in the 2nd half and notched a come from behind victory thanks to a brace by 19-year-old striker Maurice Deville.  From reports out of Luxembourg, Goran Pandev nearly made it 2:0 for Macedonia in the 32nd minute but his effort went just wide of the goal.  As for the 2nd half, Pandev, once again, and Filip Despotovski supposedly had big chances but neither player could convert their opportunity.  Deville, on the other end, scored the equalizer in the 56th minute with a shot from about 20 meters while the game winner came in the second minute of stoppage time on a counter attack.

Lineup: Nuredinoski (46′ Pacovski); Todorovski (46′ Georgievski), Grncarov (46′ Mojsov), Sikov, Lazevski; Demiri (46′ Despotovski), Gligorov; Hasani, Pandev, Ibraimi (62′ Ivanovski); Naumoski.

Did not play: Ivan Trickovski (kept out with leg injury despite statements on Monday that Ivan was expected to play in this game), Vladimir Dimitrovski (unused substitute).

The Macedonian squad has not recorded many wins over the past year but this is an unacceptable result.  Manager John Toshack must hold the players accountable for such results and make some drastic chances within the national team.  No disrespect to Luxembourg but the majority of their squad plays in their domestic league which is ranked 49th out of 53 European associations by UEFA.  The other players, who suit up abroad, play in lower leagues such as the goalscorer Maurice Deville who plays in the German fourth division.  In recent times, Macedonia has been playing with a lack of confidence and this loss will only worsen the problem.  The team seems to be lacking ideas and it has gotten so bad that the national team is now losing to the likes of Luxembourg.

To view the match report, click here.