F.Y.R. Macedonia round-up: Pobeda go top

FK Pobeda made home advantage count to see off FK Rabotnicki 3-1 and leapfrog their opponents to go top of the Macedonian Premier League.

Slender advantage
The visitors went into the game with a slender advantage at the summit but were undone by two second-half strikes from their determined hosts. It was a tight first 45 minutes despite Pobeda getting off to the perfect start when Blagojce Georgieski fired home in the sixth minute.Rabotnicki refused to buckle and regained their composure and were rewarded for their endeavour when Rogerio Oliveira levelled five minutes before the break.

Caught on the counter-attack
The game remained tight after the restart but the hosts got the vital third goal of the game in the 75th minute thanks to Nikolce Zdravevski and Georgieski put the game beyond the visitors eight minutes from time when Rabotnicki were caught on the counter-attack.

Belasica go second
FK Belasica GC moved into second place thanks to Zoran Atanasov's 82nd-minute winner as they beat FK Sileks 2-1. Vanco Kostov had given the home side the lead with a 63rd-minute penalty but Ahmet Ahmetovic looked to have earned his side a point with a 78th-minute equaliser.

Vardar in contention
FK Vardar also moved into contention at the top with a comfortable 3-0 win at home to FK Makedonija Skopje. Two goals in two minutes from Mario Petkov and Dejan Ristevski gave Vardar the advantage at the break and Angel Panov added a third seven minutes into the second half.

Kumanovo move clear
FK Kumanovo put more distance between themselves and the relegation zone with an important 1-0 win against struggling FK Pelister, Dragan Ivanov netting the only goal of the game after 16 minutes.

Osogovo still bottom
FK Sloga Jugomagnat failed to find a way through the home defence as they were held to a goalless draw at FK Napredok while FK Osogovo remain rooted to the foot of the table after goals from Riste Naumov and Aleksandar Toleski saw them beaten by FK Cementarnica 55.