Vardar beat Metalurg in Skopje derby by last shot

As every derby, duels between Vardar and Metalurg always bring in Macedonia uncertain result, full hall, "hot atmosphere", and it was different in their first encounter of the season last weekend, in the SEHA league as Vardar won 27:26.

Nemanja Pribak with a goal from a free throw after regular time had expired brought joy on tribune and field. Fans entered the field to celebrate the triumph, and favoured Metalurg had to admit that their rivals were better, although due to injuries team from Avtokomanda, was without back Naumče Mojsovski, line player Vančo Dimovski and goalkeeper Peter Angelov.

In addition, after nine minutes Metalurg lost the goalkeeper Darko Stanić who received a red card for a foul outside the six meters line on Vlatko Jovčevski. Vardar led by seven goals (21:14), but Metalurg did not give up, and gradually erased the deficit and leveled the score (26:26).

But when bench of defending champions began to celebrate a point, believing they are leaving home undefeated, Pribak sent the ball drilling through both the defensive wall of visitors and their goalkeeper to seal a precious victory.

“I have to congratulate to Vardar. They wanted and deserved this victory more than us. The match could have been decided much earlier, but we managed to get back in the game,“ Metalurg coach Lino Červar (pictured right) said for ehfCL.com.

For both teams it was the last test before important matches in the European cup competitions. Metalurg will host Vive Targi Kielce in the VELUX EHF Champion League in the ehfTV Match of the Week on Sunday (18:00 hrs local time). Vardar will travel to Germany and play against SC Magdeburg in the EHF Cup Round 3 on 23 November.

“Vardar never gave up; even the rival is favourite and much stronger. So the same will be against Magdeburg. We have another duel in Montenegro versus Lovćen and then we move on to Magdeburg. Vardar is currently playing with 75 percent of their capacity, and will certainly give strong resistance, said Veselin Vujovic,. coach of Vardar.

After an unexpected string of four wins in the Group Phase of the VELUX EHF Champion League, Metalurg has a chance to take the first position in the Group C. But Červar will have to deal with problems to compile a team after several injuries.

“What concerns us at most are injuries of our players. Naumče Mojsovski, Vančo Dimovski have not yet resumed to practice and goalkeeper Peter Angelov can train only with limited intensity. Now most important thing for us is how to compose the team for Sunday game,“ added Metalurg coach, who also warned about taking recent Kielce´s defeat in the Polish league as a positive signal.

“Now Kielce will be more motivated, and will play more aggressive against us on Sunday. But our plan is to be in the Last 16 and after match in Skopje, we need to go to Poland. They have better schedule in last three rounds than us, and Gorenje Velenje also,” concluded Červar.