Since Vardar is close to securing the league title, the battles for second place along with the relegation positions will be the most interesting races with the season winding down.
Metalurg and Shkendija are the two teams battling for second place. Both sides were once challenging Vardar, but now the difference has reached double digits and neither team has a realistic chance of catching Vardar. Metalurg, in second place by one point, visits Horizont Turnovo, a team that is battling to avoid relegation, while Shkendija also goes on the road to face last placed 11 Oktomvri.
Also, the battle for fourth place is becoming more interesting although it doesn’t mean anything since it can’t lead to a place in the Europa League qualifications. Renova, Bregalnica Shtip, Sileks and Rabotnichki all have a realistic shot at finishing fourth and this round will feature those four clubs facing one another. Rabotnichki plays against Renova at home, while Bregalnica will visit Sileks in Kratovo.
In an important game to avoid the relegation play-off, Napredok will face struggling Ohrid at home expecting a win. Napredok is fighting for 8th place which entails that the club will be safe for next year. The bottom two teams on the table get relegated to the second league while the 9th and 10th placed teams enter the relegation play-off. Thus, Napredok will look to put some distance against its competitors and secure that 8th position with a good home performance against Ohrid.
The remaining game of the round features Teteks hosting Vardar. Teteks is just four points behind 8th placed Napredok so this is an important game to stay on track. Vardar has only scored one goal in two earlier meetings against Teteks, with the matchup in Tetovo ending in a goalless draw while in Skopje, Vardar won with the minimal score of 1:0 thanks to a late game winner in the dying moments.
Saturday at 16.00 CET:
Boris Trajkovski stadium in Skopje
Rabotnichki vs. Renova
Referee: Goran Spirkoski (Prilep)
Gradski stadium in Tetovo
Teteks vs. Vardar
Referee: Zoran Petkovski (Veles)
Sunday at 16.00 CET:
Sileks stadium in Kratovo
Sileks vs. Bregalnica Shtip
Referee: Marjan Markoski (Ohrid)
Goce Delchev stadium in Prilep
11 Oktomvri vs. Shkendija
Referee: Vasko Mavrov (Strumica)
Kukush stadium in Turnovo
Horizont Turnovo vs. Metalurg
Referee: Petar Mantev (Negotino)
SRC Atina Bojadji in Ohrid
Ohrid vs. Napredok
Referee: Josip Barton (Tetovo)