U21: Montenegro – Macedonia 0:2

In the second friendly in Podgorica, our U21 national team managed to overcome the loss to Serbia from three days ago and collect a 2:0 win against the hosts Montenegro. At the end the young Macedonians won the friendly tournament thanks to a better goal-difference.

photo by FSCG: Abaz scores for Macedonia

Coach Dobrinko Ilievski made 3 changes in the starting lineup from the team that started against Serbia by fielding center-back Esmin Lichina on the place of Filip Trajanovski, left wing Emil Abaz on the place of Kristijan Trapanovski, as well as Marco Ferukoski who started as left back instead of Todor Todoroski.

The young Lions took control of the game from the beginning, and they already put themselves in lead after 20 minutes of play, through a goal by Emil Abaz after an assist from Dimitar Mitrovski. At the start of the second halftime, the same player also scored a second goal after having picked up the ball in the midfield and firing a great shot from over 20 meters distance. In the rest of the match Macedonia controlled the game and did not leave Montenegro much room for threatening, leading to a comfortable 0:2 victory in the end.

SFCG Sportski centar in Podgorica Montenegro
Montenegro Montenegro U21 – Macedonia Macedonia U21 0:2 (0:1)
Goals: 21′, 50′ Emil Abaz
Montenegro: 12. Ljubanović; 2. Malešević (78′ 21. Šćekić), 3. Merdović (84′ 13. Ražnatović), 5. Drinčić, 6. Filipović (78′ 15. Kumburović), 8. Bubanja (60′ 14. Terzić), 9. Skenderović (60′ 17. Vučićević), 10. Vukotić (C) (84′ 16. Eraković), 11. Stijepović (36′ 19. Sekulić), 18. Bakić (46′ 7. Jovanović), 20. Marušić (46′ 4. Miličković).
Macedonia: 12. Bozhinoski; 2. Jovanov, 6. Lichina, 5. Rufati, 16. Ferukoski; 10. Zdravkovski (C), 8. Atanasov (90′ 15. Stoimenovski); 9. Abaz (69′ 20. Milovanovikj), 3. Tosheski (78′ 14. A. Todoroski), 21. Mitrovski (69′ 19. Trajcheski); 7. Ristovski (69′ 17. Krstovski).
Yellow cards: Bozhinoski, Krstovski, Tosheski (M)
Red cards: /
Referee: Goran Ivanović Montenegro

With this win Macedonia ensured the first place at this friendly tournament. All three teams ended with 3 points, but thanks to today’s 2:0 win Macedonia tops the others on goal-difference.

M W D L GD P
Macedonia Macedonia 2 1 0 1 2:1 3
Serbia Serbia 2 1 0 1 1:1 3
Montenegro Montenegro 2 1 0 1 1:2 3

 

This was now the fourth friendly game for the new U21 generation (for players born 1998 or later) that serves as preparation for the upcoming qualifiers next year. So far Macedonia has recorded 2 wins, 1 draw and 1 loss.

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