The battle to avoid relegation is getting tighter with the season winding down as this round will feature four teams near the bottom of the table having direct encounters.
The two games with relegation implications in this round involve Teteks hosting Ohrid and Napredok visiting Horizont Turnovo. These two games will play an important role in determining which team will get relegated directly to the second division, to go along with last placed 11 Oktomvri, and which teams will partake in the relegation play-off.
Napredok is currently in the best position with six rounds remaining until the end of the season. Napredok occupies the all important eight position on the table, the last spot that leads to complete safety. Napredok leads ninth place Horizont Turnovo by eight points so the latter will look to cut that deficit to five points with a win on Sunday at home.
Meanwhile, the 10th and 11 ranked teams on the standings, Ohrid and Teteks, meet in Tetovo this round. Both teams have 24 points but Ohrid has the better goal difference. The surprise during the first half of the season, Ohrid, has struggled mightily in the second half, and finds itself closer to direct relegation. Ohrid has lost seven consecutive games while Teteks has also gone without a win in the past seven games, compiling three draws and four losses. Therefore, with both teams struggling, a win is imperative in this game to avoid 11th place which leads to direct relegation.
In the other games, Renova and Rabotnichki are expected to play with reserve and youth players as they concentrate on the Macedonian Cup final which will take place on Wednesday. Renova hosts Bregalnica Shtip, while Rabotnichki also plays at home against second placed Metalurg.
In the last two games, Sileks squares off against Shkendija, while Vardar faces last placed 11 Oktomvri in Prilep as the club is close to becoming mathematically relegated to the second league.
Also, all of the Second League games are scheduled for Sunday as well.
Sunday (29.04.2012):
Gradski stadium in Tetovo, 13.00 CET
Renova vs. Bregalnica Shtip
Referee: Marjan Eckoski (Ohrid)
Sileks stadium in Kratovo, 16.30 CET
Sileks vs. Shkendija
Referee: Aleksandar Stavrev (Skopje)
Boris Trajkovski stadium in Skopje, 16.30 CET
Rabotnichki vs. Metalurg
Referee: Dejan Jakimovski (Skopje)
Goce Delchev stadium in Prilep, 16.30 CET
11 Oktomvri vs. Vardar
Referee: Stojanche Stojanov (Shtip)
Kukush stadium in Turnovo, 16.30 CET
Horizont Turnovo vs. Napredok
Referee: Zoran Boshkov (Negotino)
Gradski stadium in Tetovo, 16.30 CET
Teteks vs. Ohrid
Referee: Dimitar Mechkarovski (Skopje)