Too many missed chances in the draw against Buducnost
Rabotnicki played only 1-1 against Buducnost in the first leg of the qualifying round for Europa League. Our players were much better than the opponent, but missed too many chances and couldn’t find the way to get a victory. The guests scored from their first chance of the match, making Rabotnicki chase the result throughout the second half, only to get a draw with goal from Elif Elmas.
Suad Sahiti had two shots easily in the match, but goalkeeper Dragojevic saved them. In the 33. minute Sahiti crossed from the right, but Gajic couldn’t connect to the ball. Then, in the 38. minute Buducnost took the lead. Luka Mirkovic crossed in the box, Siskovski couldn’t punch the ball clear, allowing Velizar Janketic to score an easy goal.
Rabotnicki was close to equalizing goal just four minutes later, when Altiparmakovski escaped from two opponents and shot very well, but the ball bounces from the post.
We were much better team in the second half, with Mite Cikarski free kick also ending in the post of the guest’s goal. Dragojevic also saved his goal after the good header from Altiparmakovski in the 70. minute, as well as after Duranski’s shot four minutes later.
After all these chances, Rabotnicki deservedly scored an equalizer in the 80. minute, with Elmas scoring with strong shot from outside the box, putting the ball in the bottom left corner of the goal. Two minutes later Herera also found the way to the net, but his goal was disallowed because the Colombian was offside. We tried to win until the very end, with Mitrev missing the last chance, his header from five metres going wide.
The second leg between Rabotnicki and Buducnost will be played in Podgorica on 7 July.
RABOTNICKI – BUDUCNOST 1-1 (0-1)
Arena “Filip II”. Spectators: 1.500. Referee: Zbinjek Proske. Scorers: Elmas 80′ (R), Janketic 39′ (B). Yellow cards: Trajcevski, Markoski, Najdovski (R)
RABOTNICKI: Siskovski, Siljanovski, Mitrev, Najdovski, Cikarski, Trajcevski, Najdenov (Elmas 62′), Galic (Duranski 54′), S. Sahiti, Markoski (Herera 77′), Altiparmakovski.
BUDUCNOST: Dragojevic, Janketic (Camaj 63′), Vukcevic, Seratlic (Raicevic 56′), Mitrovic, Raickovic (Markovic 87′), Pejakovic, Vushurovic, Mirkovic, Hocko, Dzakovic.