15.10.2012, 04:13
FYR Macedonia to play without Gjeorgjievska at EHF EURO 2012

Strong right back will not recover from broken ankle until next year

FYR Macedonia to play without Gjeorgjievska at EHF EURO 2012

FYR Macedonia's hopes of a strong performance and a spot in the Main Round at the EHF EURO 2012 in Serbia in December have been severely dashed after right back Elena Gjeorgjievska broke her right ankle on the weekend.

She is one of the key players in the team and not the first head coach Gino Strezovski will need to replace as Daniela Noveska is pregnant and Julija Nikolic has announced her resignation from the national team, even though Strezovski will try to change her mind.

Budocnost player Gjorgjievska broke her ankle during the Women's EHF Champions League match against Zvezda Zvenigorod on Saturday (13 October).

She fell following a jump only five minutes into the match. Medical staff detected a broken right ankle, and Gjeorgjievska will not be able to play until February.

"Elena suffered a severe injury and I will not be able to count on her until the new year. It is a massive loss for us. This was supposed to be her season, but now this accident happened," Budocnost coach Dragan Adzic said.

"We believe that she will return the right way, and all players will try to make her absence forgotten."

As Buducnost regret that they cannot consider Gjeorgjievska for the next matches, FYR Macedonia's head coach Gino Strezovski is also very concerned.

He is aware that - without Gjeorgjievska in the team - it will be much harder, if not almost impossible, to place among the top-12 teams at the EHF EURO 2012.

"I am sorry for Elena because there was a good chance to advance. Her absence will be felt very much in the national team, and now our chances are minimal in the matches with Sweden and Denmark, if not even all our chances," Strezovski said.

In Group B in Nis will face France, Denmark, Sweden and Macedonia.

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TEXT: Goran Antevski / ts