The Macedonia national football team played out a goalless draw against Bosnia and Herzegovina in a friendly match in Sarajevo, in a game in which both teams had their chances but failed to find the back of the net.
For Macedonia, this was their second consecutive 0-0 draw, after Goce Sedloski’s men had previously remained unbeaten away to the Republic of Ireland in Dublin. The match in Sarajevo will also be remembered for the debut appearances of Omeragic, Alomerovic, Jankulov and Andjeleski in the national team shirt. Bosnia and Herzegovina, meanwhile, will take part in the World Cup in the USA, Canada and Mexico.
The hosts created the first serious danger as early as the fourth minute. Alajbegovic got away from his marker and shot from around 20 metres, with the ball deflecting off the block and hitting the crossbar of Stole Dimitrievski’s goal.
After a lengthy quiet spell, Bosnia and Herzegovina threatened again in the 30th minute. Alajbegovic broke forward down the left and shot from an angle, but Dimitrievski made an excellent save to keep a clean sheet.
Macedonia’s best opportunity came just three minutes later. Following a mistake by the Bosnian defence, Bojan Miovski found himself one-on-one with goalkeeper Zlomislic and attempted to beat him with a lob, but defender Stjepan Radeljic made a determined clearance just before the goal line.
In the 37th minute, Gigovic unleashed a powerful long-range shot, but Dimitrievski was safe once again.
In the final moments of the first half, Bazdar hit the post with a header, meaning that despite the hosts hitting both posts, the teams went into the break goalless.
In the second half, both coaches made a large number of substitutions, which affected the tempo of the game and led to fewer exciting moments in front of the two goals.
The clearest chance of the second half fell to Ermedin Demirovic in the 69th minute, when he shot from an angle on the right, but the ball went wide of the post.
Until the end, Bosnia and Herzegovina tried to find a winning goal, but the Macedonian defence remained solid and organised, and the match ended with the initial 0-0 scoreline.
Macedonia’s next test is against Türkiye in Istanbul on 1 June.
BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA – MACEDONIA 0-0
Stadium: „Asim Ferhatović Hase“
Attendance: 30,000
Referee: Rade Obrenović (Slovenia)
Yellow card: Alioski (Macedonia)
BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA: Zlomislic, Dedic (46’ Hadzikadunic), Radeljic (46’ Celik), Katic (46’ Muhamerovic), Mujakic (46’ Burnic), Tahirovic (60’ Malic), Gigovic (46’ Hadziahmetovic), Bajraktarevic (46’ Basic), Bazdar (46’ Mahmic), Lukic (46’ Demirovic), Alajbegovic (46’ Memic).
MACEDONIA: Dimitrievski (60’ Siskovski), Zajkov (46’ Fetai), Velkovski (60’ Serafimov), Musliu (85’ Manev), Jankulov (46’ Churlinov), Herrera (46’ Alomerovic), Nikolov (60’ Andjeleski), Atanasov (46’ Elezi), Elmas (70’ Alioski), Miovski (60’ Ristovski), Rastoder (46’ Omeragic).
