Vardar wins the first Macedonian derby

Првото македонско дерби го доби Вардар

Vardar - Metalurg 10 (14/15)

Matches between Vardar and Metalurg are always exciting and unpredictable. This time, in Kale sports hall, current SEHA GSS League’s champion Vardar was better than their city rivals with 27:21. Everything was more-less clear after the first 30 minutes and Vardar’s +6 (13:7).

Coach Lino Červar has for this match used the same roster as aginst Vojvodina. The only difference was that Renato Vugrinec was watching the game from the stands due to an injury. Darko Stanić and Vančo Dimovski were also not in Červar’s roster. Vardar was on the other side missing Blaženko Lacković, Stojanče Stoilov as well as injured Vladimir Petrić.

Vardar has managed to open the match with 5:0 due to some great Šterbik’s saves and Metalurg’s lack of concentration in attack. Guests from Avtokomanda were waiting 13 minutes for the first goal scored by Luka Cindrić from thee 7 meter line. Metalurg has in the first half made 13 technical mistakes and their goalkeeper Kocić was the only reason that they were on ‘only’ -6 after first 30 minutes.

However, things have changed completely in the second half. Vardar started losing balls, lacked concentration and after 12 minutes Metalurg came back to only -3 (16:13). It seemed like Vardar will then wake up but Metalurg was ‘on fire’ and came back to only -1 (18:17) only ten minutes before the end.

But Vardar has then showed experience and made a huge run led by Gorbok and Brumen to finish the match with +6 (27:21).

Raul Gonzalez, Vardar’s coach

- We’ve played well in defense in the first half which has brought us some easy goals. In the end Metalurg started playing a bit different than in the first and it has brought us some troubles but I’m happy we came back. We have to keep on with our trainings and preparations to reach our main goal in this season, Cologne and CL’s F4. 

Matjaž Brumen, Vardar’s player

- We've had an excellent first half tonight but then we've stopped in the second, at least in the first part of it. If we manage to play in the future like we did in the first half today I'm sure we can beat anyone.   

Lino Červar, Metalurg’s coach

- I want to congratulate to Vardar , they've deserved to win this game. They were really good in the first half with high scoring ratio. We were not able to find our game today and when we did in the second part of the second half it was already too late. To be honest it wouldn't be deserved if we've in the end managed to take three points from this match.

Luka Cindrić, Metalurg’s player

- Vardar was really a better team today, they've deserved to win. It was another hard game today against our rivals. We've had a poor start, Šterbik had some magic saves and they have made a big goal difference. We were much better in the second half but it was not enough.