Macedonia GP looked like complete underdogs ahead of today’s 27th-round PMFL clash with AP Brera in Strumica, but the „Lions“ return to Gjorche Petrov with a point that brings hope in the battle for survival.
As expected, AP Brera started aggressively and easily took the initiative, also dominating physically, while their players looked motivated and inspired to put in a good performance. After several attempts by Antovski and Mihailov, AP Brera won a penalty in the first seriously constructed attack in the 21st minute, when Sherifi fouled Petrović. Referee Krumislav Georgiev requested information at the visiting team’s request, but the VAR officials confirmed his decision. Mihailov was a reliable finisher, sending Jankov the wrong way.
But from that moment, the Strumica team’s players stopped, focusing instead on defending their lead. Macedonia GP had their first chance in the 30th minute, when Galevski sent a clumsy header wide after Pecov’s cross.
The match could have been decided in the 33rd minute, when a ball played back to the visiting goalkeeper Jankov took an awkward bounce and deceived him, forcing him to make an effort to prevent an own goal, but the home side failed to make use of the gifted corner.
At the other end, Macedonia’s best chance of the first half came after Galevski’s shot, which goalkeeper Dikovski briefly parried in front of him, but the advanced attackers of the Skopje team failed to punish him and the danger was cleared.
The final chance of the first half fell to Arizankovski, who received a loose ball after the free-kick taken by the home side in stoppage time.
The visitors started the second half more aggressively and first threatened after Sofijanoski’s pass to Džangarovski, who shot from the right in the 47th minute. Just five minutes later, a loose ball in Brera’s penalty area found Galevski, but after creating space, his volley was inaccurate.
During this period of dominance, the „Lions“ managed to equalise after another well-worked move in Brera’s penalty area in the 57th minute: Guerrero crossed, Nikolić set up Ajdogan, who fired an unstoppable shot.
This turn of events prompted changes in the home team, with Ivanovski and Stojanov replacing Mihailov and Jan. In the 63rd minute, Brera created a chance for the first time in a while, and following Luković’s pass to Todorović, another shot from the corner followed.
Although the visitors’ tempo also dropped, Džangarovski in the 67th minute and Sofijanoski in the 72nd tried their luck from distance with volleys, but failed to be as accurate as Ajdogan. Goalkeeper Dikovski earned applause with his interventions, his final reaction coming in the second minute of stoppage time, when he easily dealt with a cross from a free-kick.
After this final match of the 27th round, Brera are now in eighth place with 33 points, two fewer than Arsimi. Three teams are in the race to avoid direct relegation: Pelister have 26 points, Rabotnički have 25, and Macedonia have 24. Shkupi are last with one point.
After just two days’ rest, the 28th-round PMFL matches begin, with Brera playing their first away game in Kratovo against Sileks.
