Vardar Negotino, Mladost Carev Dvor, Miravci and Pobeda Junior advanced in the next round after eliminating their opponents today.
In Skopje, a hard battle was fought between two third league champions: Vardar from Negotino as winners of the South and Belasica from Strumica as winners of the East. At the end it was Vardar who ended Belasica’s dream of a quick comeback to the Second League. Both teams were even with Belasica having more chances to score. Vardar opened the score 12 minutes from time through Spasov from a free kick, 3 minuters later Tripunov doubled the lead, while the popular Kangaroos scored one back in the dying seconds of the injury time. Vardar Negotino advances in the final play-off round.
As expected, Second League side Miravci had no problems with Goblen Junior, winners of the North. They scored one goal in each half through Mizhorov and Kostovski clinching a 2:0 win. Miravci advances in the final play-off round.
A very interesting game was expected from the duel between Second League side Zajazi and the winners of the Third League South-West, Mladost from the village of Carev Dvor. And it was! Both goals came in the first half with Mladost opening the score early in the 4th minute through Veljanovski, while Tefe levelled on 1:1 just seconds before the break. In the middle of the first half a red card was shown to one player of each sides, leaving both teams with 10 players. Just minutes into the second half, second red card for Mladost, this time for Antonio Strezovski, forcing the third league team to play with 9 men. The game ended in a draw and an extra time had to be played. Despite playing with 9 players, Mladost managed to score a goal for a new lead which later happened to be dicissive. It was Darailovski who scored the golden goal for the winners of the South-West. Mladost Carev Dvor advances in the final play-off round.
It was expected that the Second League side Pobeda Junior would easily eliminate Vlazrimi, champions of the Third League West. But, the regular 90 minutes ended in a goalless draw. Vlazrimi’s resistance finaly came to an end as Pobeda Junior scored three goals in the extra time, eliminating the Kichevo based club. Geshoski scored a brace in just five minutes, while Aceski cemented the win three minutes before the final whistle. Pobeda Junior advances in the final play-off round.
Miravci* – Goblen Junior 2:0
36′ Tome Mizhorov, 69′ Mile Kostovski
Zajazi – Mladost Carev Dvor* 1:1, 1:2 AET
45′ Arben Tefe – 4′ Toni Veljanovski, 105′ Oliver Daraliovski
Pobeda Junior* – Vlazrimi 0:0, 3:0 AET
103′, 108′ Blagoja Geshoski, 117′ Nove Aceski
Vardar Negotino* – Belasica 2:1
78′ Goran Spasov, 81′ Igor Tripunov – 90’+3 Branko Gligorov
* The four winners will now wait the draw for the final round which will take place on Monday. Two pairs will be formed with a very strange format with two legs on neutral field. The winners will participate in next season’s edition of the Second League.
As Goblen Junior got eliminated, that means that despite being champions in the Third League North, they will participate in the same league next season as well. Their unsuccessful attempt to get promoted brought sadness not only to their fans but also to those of Bashkimi (finished 9th in the North) as with Goblen’s failed promotion Bashkimi gets relegated. To see the North final standings, click here.
Same thing happens in the East after Belasica got eliminated. Cheshinovo was hoping that Belasica will get promoted in order to stay in the league, but now they got relegated as Belasica will play in the Third League East next season as well. To see the East final standings, click here.
More devastating situation on the West. Champions Vlazrimi got eliminated, but also Second League side Zajazi who is case of a relegation will join the West. So, both teams that were hoping for a third league survival, Gradec and Sharri-T 2012, are now relegated. Vlazrimi will continue playing in the Third League West, while Zajazi got relegated from the Second League and will also join the West. To see the West final standings, click here.