Our prediction for this match:
National Arena Toshe Proeski will host Tuesday’s football game between North Macedonia and Slovenia. The Macedonians are eyeing their third consecutive win on the international stage, and we are positive that they will stick to their attacking style of play. Veteran attacker Goran Pandev is still part of the squad, but a man to watch in the home team will be Leeds United ace Ezgjan Alioski. Unlike North Macedonia, the Slovenians missed out on a place at the European Championship finals.
Matjaz Kek’s troops aim to bounce back from back-to-back losses to Russia and Cyprus, but seeing that the Macedonians are a real force to be reckoned with at home, we do not believe that the visitors are going to grab something from the match. Talented Slovenia defender Zan Zaletel (Celje) has received his first call-up, and the 21-year-old is widely expected to make his debut with the national team against North Macedonia.
Highlighted Player (Darko Velkovski):
Born in Skopje, Macedonia on June 22, 1995 Darko Velkovski is a professional footballer who plays for Vardar as a centre-back. Darko Velkovski started his career at the youth team of Makedonija Gjorche Petrov and in 2011 he moved to Rabotnicki.
The 188-cm tall defender scored 11 goals in 109 appearances for the Romantics before joining fellow Macedonian side Vardar in 2015. Darko Velkovski has established himself as a first-team regular at the capital club and he made 28 appearances for the Crveno-Crni in the 2016/2017 Macedonian Prva Liga campaign. Velkovski, whose contract with Vardar expires on June 30, 2018, started for the Macedonian champions in a historical 2-1 win at Fenerbahce in the 2017/2018 Europa League play-offs, return leg.
Darko Velkovski made his Macedonia debut on June 18, 2014 in a 2-0 loss to China in a friendly. His main position is centre-back, but he is capable of playing as both defensive and central midfielder as well.
Highlighted Team (Slovenia):
Slovenia have been competing on the international stage following the split of Yugoslavia in 1991. The Slovenians were outclassed by France in their first unofficial match (0-5), whilst they shared the spoils with Estonia in their first official game (1-1).
The former Yugoslav republic participated at three major football tournaments, with the team making it to the FIFA World Cup finals in Japan and South Korea (2002) and South Africa 2010, whilst booking their place at the Euro 2000 which was hosted by Netherlands and Belgium. Slovenia, though, have yet to make it to the knockout stages of the major tournament and that remains their unfulfilled dream.
Srecko Katanec and Zlatko Zahovic are regarded as the most famous footballers who played for the Slovenian national football team and they were part of Slovenia’s “Golden generation”. The Slovenians, who recorded their biggest win against Oman in 1999, welcome their rivals at Ljudski vrt in Stozice and the capacity of the venue is 12.702.