Pandev spearheads Macedonian charge

Bright start
Srečko Katanec's side kick off their Group 9 challenge with home games against Scotland and the Netherlands on 6 and 10 September, but while their opponents are daunting, victory in Luxembourg earlier this month has given them hope, with S.S. Lazio striker Goran Pandev scoring twice and showing real leadership credentials.

'Good motivation'
"We played great in the first half of the match," said the 25-year-old, who left FK Belasica GC for FC Internazionale Milano in 2001. "I'm happy that I scored two goals. We played well as a team and I hope that we will continue to do so against better opponents. This victory is good motivation for the start of the qualifiers."

U21s eliminated
More hope for the future came in the penultimate game of F.Y.R. Macedonia's UEFA European Under-21 Championship qualifying group. While a 1-0 loss to Estonia ended their hopes of qualifying for next summer's final tournament in Sweden, Goran Slavkovski's presence on the field represented a major coup for Macedonian football.

Slavkovski decision
The 19-year-old Inter forward, now on loan at HNK Hajduk Split, was born in Sweden, but has decided to play for his parents' national team, saying: "On previous occasions when coaches from Macedonia called me up to play for the team I did not come because of injury, but I'm happy that I will now be part of the Macedonian team."

Vardar flying
Back in Slavkovski's adopted homeland, FK Makedonija GP Skopje lead the league table along with FK Milano on seven points from three matches. The two sides are a point ahead of FK Vardar, who have a game in hand and have yet to concede a league goal. Boban Jancevski has started the season in prolific fashion, scoring four times in two matches for Vardar, and said: "There are lots of matches to be played, and if we keep winning the goals will keep coming."