The Macedonian U16 national team played two friendly matches against Russia in Turnovo and suffered two convincing defeats.

It should be noted that the final results are too high compared to what was shown on the field, especially in the second match, but the worrying fact is that in 2026 this generation has only one win out of ten games and seven consecutive losses. Let’s hope that by the end of the year they find the strength and a way to improve the impression.

03 October, Kukush Stadium in Turnovo
Macedonia – Russia 1:5 (0:2)
Goals: 74′ Amar Neziri – 21′ Matvey Rodionov, 27′ Igor Kalyuzhnyi, 73′, 80′ Arsen Bestaev, 90′ (pen) Aleksandr Olkhovskiy
Macedonia: Stojkovski; Asani (73′ Stojanoski), Arsov (46′ Emini), Zuberi (84′ Trajkov), Rozhajac, Mustafa (84′ Zojchevski), Taneski (61′ Risteski), Janchevski (73′ Neziri), Gjorgjievski (61′ Anastasovski), Hristov (61′ Petkov (88′ Dimoski)), Amiti (46′ Panov). Coach: Goran Stankovski
Russia: Gorodov; Panov (64′ Lisov), Savosin (81′ Alyabyev), Strokin, Zalyalov (46′ Goryainov), Dolgodush (64′ Bestaev), Tsimin, Voytsekovskiy, Rodionov (64′), Olkhovskiy, Kalyuzhnyi. Coach: Denis Pervushin

Highlights:

05 October, Kukush Stadium in Turnovo
Macedonia – Russia 1:3 (0:1)
Goals: 76′ Dorotej Hristov – 26′ Rodion Alyabyev, 65′ Vladislav Lisov, 85′ Ilya Khrabryi
Macedonia: Gjorevski; Asani (88′ Zuberi), Rozhajac, Panov, Mustafa (53′ Janchevski), Hristov (88′ Risteski), Zojchevski (88′ Dimoski), Amiti (67′ Anastasovski), Emini (67′ Arsov), Petkov (67′ Taneski), Neziri (53′ Gjorgjievski). Coach: Goran Stankovski
Russia: Izyumskiy; Panov (62′ Kon), Strokin (46′ Abu Khagras), Alyabyev, Goryainov (62′ Zalyalov), Voytsekovskiy, Tsimin, Olkhovskiy (78′ Dolgodush), Lyusin (46′ Lisov), Bestaev (62′ Khrabryi), Kalyuzhnyi (78′ Rodionov). Coach: Denis Pervushin

Highlights:

Coach Goran Stankovski called up following players for this friendlies:

Mario Stojkovski – New Stars
Ognen Bozhinovski – Vardar
Maksim Gjorevski – First Vienna

Din Rozhajac – FFM Academy/Makedonija GjP
Gabriel Panov – Vardar
Hamza Zuberi – Skopje
Stefan Arsov – AIK
Ejman Emini – FFM Academy/Fortuna
Stefan Stojanoski – FFM Academy/Brera Strumica
Jetmir Asani – Vardar
Pavel Dimoski – FFM Academy/Kichevo
Fisnik Amiti – Shkendija
Pavel Zojchevski – Skopje
Hristijan Risteski – Vardar
Dimitar Lambro Anastasovski – Pelister
Amar Neziri – Arsimi
Dorotej Hristov – Skopje
Davor Taneski – FFM Academy/OSK Fair Play
Vasko Trajkov – Brera Strumica
Joan Gjorgjievski – FFM Academy/SSK Nova
Mubin Mustafa – Fiorentina
Jovan Janchevski – FFM Academy/Makedonija GjP
Dragan Petkov – New Stars