Free Press in Bucharest: No cause for disappointment

Photo: EPA-EFE / Vadim Ghirda

The applause as a farewell was an assessment of the displayed game, encouragement that not everything is lost and an incentive to give the maximum to the remaining two matches in Group C of the European Championship.

From our Special Rapporteur:
Milorad Stojmanovski

There is no reason for disappointment after the defeat of Macedonia in the debut performance of Euro 2020 against Austria with 1-3, in Bucharest. This impression could be gained at the National Arena in the Romanian capital as Macedonian fans applauded their pets on the pitch after the referee's final whistle.. The applause as a farewell was an assessment of the displayed game, a courage that not everything is lost and that we should continue to believe in the placement in the round of XNUMX, an incentive to give the maximum of the remaining two matches in Group C of the European Championship.

EPA-EFE / Vadim Ghirda

НSome time later, some members of the national team said that they understood the message and that they will try to justify their trust against strong opponents, Ukraine and the Netherlands. On Thursday, at 15 pm, we will meet with Ukraineand again in Bucharest, and on June 21 (18 pm), at the "Amsterdam Arena" we are guests of the Dutch.

The match against Austria is one that will be remembered for a lifetime. The intonation of the Macedonian anthem will remain in the collective memory of this generation, which echoed from the throats of about 4.000 Macedonian fans (twice as many and noisier than the Austrian ones), will be etched in the memories and the historic first goal for Macedonia, which was scored by the captain Goran Pandev, his 38th for the Macedonian national team, in the 120th appearance in the national jersey, the support from the stands will be remembered because of which the Macedonian national team could feel like playing at home.

EPA-EFE / Robert Ghement

And it could have been different, if Boban Nikiolov used the good opportunity Macedonia to take the lead in the 63rd minute, after the first half ended 1-1. Practically, in the first two thirds of the match we were equal, but then the coach of Austria, Franco Foda, threw his attacking trump cards in the game - Michael Gregoric and the experienced Marko Arnautovic. A decision that proved to be a real tactical move, because they were the two who scored one goal each to secure the victory, the first ever by the Austrians in an European Championship. So far, in seven matches, they have only had one draw. The coach Igor Angelovski tried to respond to the changes in the composition of the opponent, bringing in Exon Bejtulai instead of the striker Aleksandar Trajkovski, ie Tihomir Kostadinov as a replacement for Nikolov, because the defense should have gained strength, and Elif Elmas, who until then played the field, joined Pandev in the attack in the 3-5-2 formation that was set from the beginning of the match.

EPA-EFE / Robert Ghement

The fact that Ennis Bardi, who had to stay in isolation for 10 days during the preparations before the championship due to a positive corona test, still played 80 minutes of the matcht, although his additions were 60 per cent accurate. Alioski and Trajkovski's plays were similarly effective. Stole Dimitrievski shone on the goal who defended several heavy blows of the opponent, which is important before the next challenges of "Euro 2020".

There are three days left for the so-called recovery, ie recovery until the meeting with Ukraine. Did the initial defeat have a psychological effect on the Macedonian national team, where at times you could notice the impression of the whole atmosphere, we will see in our second match at the National Arena, when support from numerous Macedonian fans is expected again, because most of them stayed in Romania to watch the upcoming duel.

EPA-EFE / Vadim Ghirda

The team of the Ukrainian coach Andriy Shevchenko is very high quality, he showed that in the 2-3 defeat against the Netherlands in Amsterdam, when he managed to equalize after the 0-2 deficit, with the beautiful goals of Yarmolenko and Yaremchuk, but only against the Ukrainians we have a victory in mutual duels, despite the two defeats and one draw), unlike Austria and the Netherlands. And they will have to go for a win and play more offensively which carries some risk. That risk will have to be taken by the coach Igor Angelovski, although there are not many quality alternatives on the bench for reserve players. Only a victory and three points won will drastically change the mood for the better, and more importantly - the chances of placing in the desired quarter-finals. With a possible draw on Thursday, you will have to go to victory in the Netherlands, which will be very difficult. It must be borne in mind that only the best four national teams according to the points won from the six groups of the European Championship go further, so that without defeat, but with two draws until the end we are not guaranteed placement in the knockout phase.

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