Good road game for Macedonia and clinched 3 important points in the battle for promotion to League B.
photo by FFM: moment of the match
Macedonia comes back from Latvia with a well deserved 3:0 win and 3 points in the pocket. Despite the problems with injuries and suspensions, the Lynx managed to win comfortable and never gave Latvia a chance.
After Aleksandar Trajkovski who never came to the gathering because of an injury, coach Milevski face additional problems as Darko Churlinov came injured and eventually had to be dropped, with lateral defender Bojan Dimoski getting a cold upon arrival in Riga. Dimoski was planed to be a starter, but had to be moved to the bench. Also, CBs Gjoko Zajkov and Nikola Serafimov were suspended (the first for red card, the later for a pair of yellows). So, Milevski started with Stole Dimitrievski between the posts, Ezgjan Alioski left back, Stefan Ashkovski right back, Visar Musliu and Jovan Manev as central defenders, in the midfield captain Enis Bardhi, Jani Atanasov and Isnik Alimi, Elis Elmas left winger, David Babunski right winger and and Bojan Miovski as striker.
The starting 11; photo: FFM
After four minutes Macedonia could have broken the dead lock in a very unusual way. Dimitrievski sent a long ball that no player managed to kick, went over the home keeper Matrevics who somehow managed to saved it just before getting behind the goal line.
— goals (@StefanDaskalov5) October 10, 2024
Ikaunieks threatened in the 13th minute, but his header went wide. Four minutes later Latvia had to make a substitution as attacker Gutkovskis could not continue and 20-year-old debutante Šits got a chance. In the 26th minute Bardhi sent a great shot from 20+ meters, but just inches over the bar. The dead lock was broken in the 35th minute when Elmas over the home back line served Miovski on the right, he sent the ball over Matrevics in the 5 meter box where Atanasov managed to score. In the injury time Jurkovskis had a good shot, but Dimitrievski well saved.
Musliu got injured and Milevski had to make substitution in the 55th minute. The problem was that central defenders on the bench were debutante Andrej Stojchevski and Darko Velkovski who is without a club and wasn’t even planned to be available for the match as he was summoned only to train with the national team, but with the recent injuries he found himself on the bench. Milevski feared to put any of those two so early in the match so decided to send Alimi in the back line, while Tihomir Kostadinov and Bojan Dimoski came in for injured Musliu and Ashkovski.
A minute later Babunski tried a volley kick, but Matrevics saved. Another double substitution took place in the 65th minute when Lirim Qamili and Milan Ristovski stepped in for Alioski and Babunski.
Dimitrievski did not score in the 4th minute, but in the 70th he assisted for the 2:0 goal when he sent another long ball, Ristovski and Tobers failed to catch it in the air, Qamili took it, penetrated in the box and scored with a sliding shot. It was clear that that with goal Macedonian will take the points.
Debut goal for Lirim Qamili in the Macedonian national team; photo: FFM
In the last twenty minutes Latvia was demotivated and the Macedonians controlled the situation. Five minutes from time Milevski decided that it is now safe to put a real CB and opted for Velkovski over debutante Stojchevski. Miovski was taken off.
In the 3rd minute of the 6 added minutes Bardhi run forward trying to get past three home players, the ball bounced from one of them, Elmas was near by and immediately fired with his right in the top right angle making it 3:0.
The goals:
Macedonia was the better team in Riga and deserved the win and the points. It is our 4th win in 4 encounters with Latvia, keeping the perfect record.
In the other match in our group the Faroe Islands conceded a stoppage time equalizer against Armenia. The match ended 2:2. Now Macedonia heads to Yerevan where will face Armenia. The match is scheduled for Sunday at 18.00 CET.