The Macedonian champion was heavily defeated with 4:0 by Partizan in the first leg of the Champions League qualifications, second round.

The hopes for advancing into the third round are over only after the first leg as Shkendija suffered a 4:0 defeat in Belgrade against the Serbian champion, Partizan. Not the European debut the boys in red&black hoped for, with a second leg to be played only as a formality.

But Shkendija wasn’t bad as the result says. Especially in the first half, the Macedonian champion played disciplined and controlled the result. It could have been a lot different if Ferhan Hasani had converted the penalty given in the 12th minute after a handball by Stefan Babović, but Vladimir Stojković managed to save Hasani’s shot.

The second half started great for the home side. Zvonimir Vukić opened the score after only 3 minutes of play and than Shkendija started to fall down. Brazilian striker Eduardo doubled the lead in the 58th minute, Marko Šćepović scored after a counter attack in the 74th, while only two minutes later Sedat Berisa scored an own goal for a final 4:0.

To make things worse for Shkendija, starting RB Ilir Elmazovski showed the middle finger to the Partizan fans as he was being substituted in the 82nd minute. His actions will certainly result in a fine as he tried to provoke the fans by first blowing kisses and then showing the middle finger.

The return leg is scheduled for 19 July at the National Arena Philip II of Macedon in Skopje.

JNA Stadium in Belgrade, Serbia
Referee: Artyom Kuchin (Kazakhstan)
Scorers: Vukić 48′, Eduardo 58′, Šćepović 74′, Berisa 76′ o.g.
Red cards: /
Yellow cards: Vukić, Babović, Sali, Berisa
Partizan: Stojković; Volkov, Ranković, Ivanov; Vukić, Medo, Aksentijević, Babović, S. Ilić (c) (67′ Tomić); Šćepović (87′ L. Marković), Eduardo (76′ Jovančić); Manager: Aleksandar Stanojević.
Shkendija: Zendeli; Cuculi, Elmazovski (84′ Neziri), Nikitović, Berisa; Huseini (88′ Selmani), Mustafi, Redzepi (67′ Nafiu), Emini; Hasani, Sali. Manager: Kjatip Osmani.