FYR Macedonia stick to experience for EHF EURO qualifiers

FYR Macedonia will start the EHF EURO 2014 qualification with the same team that played at the 2012 European Championships in Serbia and that also secured a place at the 2013 World Championship in Spain.

Coach Zvonko Shundovski has called up 21 players for the first two matches against Switzerland on 31 October in Skopje and Portugal on November 4 in the Portuguese city of Espinho.

The only notable absence is back court player Vlatko Mitkov who is playing club handball for Austrian side Moser Medical UHK, replacing him will be Milan Levov from Metallurg Skopje.

The right back position is not popular among players in the Macedonian squad, as anyone called up is certain to be stuck on the bench due to the court presence of Kiril Lazarov.

The powerful left hander often plays more than 50 minutes per game. Levov had been called upon several times, but always withdrew.

There are a few injury worries at the moment for coach Shundovski, including goalkeeper Peter Angelov and line player Stojance Stoilov. However, both are expected to be fully fit for the games with Switzerland and Portugal.

Velko Markoski has a broken nose and did not take part in the last two rounds of the VELUX EHF Champions League for Metalurg, and Aco Jonoski is also sidelined due to an Achilles tendon injury.

Goalkeeper Borko Ristovski will miss the opening game in Skopje due to suspension. He was punished with a one-game ban following an incident in the 2013 World Championship play-off match against Austria in June.

FYR Macedonia are seeded in EHF EURO 2014 Qualification Group 1 alongside Switzerland, Portugal, and Spain.
 

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FYR Macedonia squad for the first two EHF EURO 2014 qualification matches:

Goalkeepers: Borko Ristovski (Vfl Gummersbach, Germany), Nikola Mitrevski (Metalurg), Petar Angelov (Metalurg);

Left wings: Dejan Manaskov (Metalurg), Stevce Alushovski (Metalurg), Goce Ojleski (Vardar);

Right wingers: Vladimir Temelkov (HBC Bascharage, Luxemburg), Zlatko Mojsoski (Metalurg), Goce Georgievski (Metalurg);

Right backs: Kiril Lazarov (Atletico Madrid), Milan Levov (Metalurg);

Centre backs: Naumce Mojsovski (Metalurg), Filip Mirkulovski (Metalurg);

Left backs: Branislav Angelovski (Constanta, Romania), Velko Markovski (Metalurg), Aco Jonovski (Metalurg), Filip Lazarov (Vardar PRO), Mite Stoilov (Metalurg);

Line players: Vanco Dimovski (Metalurg), Stojance Stoilov (Vardar PRO), Nikola Markoski (Vardar PRO).