The U-16 national team continues with a series of test matches through which coach Ilami Isejni has the opportunity to select the best players who will in the future be part of the national team that will enter the qualifying rounds for participation in competitions organized by UEFA.
This week, the U-16 national team played friendly matches with the Latvian national team in Skopje. The results were mixed, with a 2:1 victory in the first match and a 2:0 defeat in the second.
“"I am particularly pleased with the performance in the first match, and partly with what we showed in the second. In the first match we played excellently, we dominated the field and deservedly achieved victory. In the second match, unfortunately, we did not manage to win, although we had several chances that we did not manage to take advantage of. In every match, all players who are called up get a chance, and that was the case in these two matches with Latvia," said coach Isejni.
The coach has recently had the opportunity to check the qualities of a large number of players, all with the aim of forming a team that will be competitive in the upcoming qualifying cycles.
“"I invited six or seven new players to this meeting who I thought should get a chance. This is a selection that should enter a competitive cycle in the next period and during this preparatory period we constantly have several new names in the squad who have the opportunity to assert themselves and fight for a place in the national team", continued the leader of the national team.
Isejni believes that this is the best way for football players to show their qualities and, through matches against quality opponents, to fight for a place in the Macedonian national team.
“"Since the moment this national team was formed, around fifty players have paraded through. During these control matches, around fifteen players stood out and showed that they have the quality to be part of the selection that is expected to appear in the qualifiers for the European Championships. The selection is certainly not closed and I expect more players to emerge in the next period and I hope that I will have a quality squad at my disposal," Isejni said.
The coach will have new matches in the coming period to raise the quality of the national team, and through these matches the players will have the chance to gain the necessary experience to perform on the international stage.
“"The players will have a chance to prove themselves in the coming months. In April, we are hosting a tournament in which the national teams of Turkey, Uzbekistan and Northern Ireland will compete. These are exceptionally high-quality opponents who will be a huge challenge for us and a chance to show that this generation can achieve good results. After that, we will be competing in the "Miljan Miljanic" tournament in Serbia, and I hope that we will be able to secure a few more quality matches. All with the aim of preparing these boys as best as possible for the qualification cycles that await them in the near future," concluded coach Isejni.
