HC VARDAR 1961 – HC ALKALOID 29-27 (15-13)

Venue: Jane Sandanski in Skopje. Referees: Sasho Krkachev and Gjoko Kolevski. Delegates: Dragan Nachevski and Dushko Kamishevski.

HC Vardar 1961: Espinha, Gogov, M. Stojanovski 1, Jagurinovski 1, Alarov, T. Stojanovski, Georgievski 1, Tankoski 1, Kooij 2, Horiha 7, Srdanovic 6, Nikolic 4, Petric 2, Margheli 2, Kjosevski, Borozan 2.

Seven-meter throws: 4/7. Suspensions: 10 minutes.

HC Alkaloid: Kizikj, Galevski, Djonov 4, Markoski, Mladenovikj, Serafimov 3, Karasmanakis, Stojkovikj 2, Mitev 5, Gjorgiev 2, Velkovski, Simonoski 4, Bingo 1, Francisco 1, Petkovski 3, Savrevski

Seven-meter throws: 4/6. Suspensions: 10 min

After triumphing in 14 consecutive official matches since the start of the season, HC Alkaloid tasted defeat for the first time in a closely contested Macedonian Super League derby against HC Vardar 1961 on their home court.

The hosts had a stronger start, quickly establishing a 5-2 lead. HC Alkaloid rallied, however, leveling the score at 6-6, and the game settled into an intense “goal-for-goal” rhythm.

HC Alkaloid took the lead late in the first half, going up 11-9, but HC Vardar managed to turn the game around, closing the half with a 15-13 advantage.

In the second half, HC Alkaloid once again fought back, equalizing at 19-19 and creating several opportunities to take the lead.

In their eagerness to make a comeback, however, our plays rushed several key plays, missing critical chances in pivotal moments. Ultimately, the match slipped away, ending in a narrow 29-27 loss for Alkaloid.

HC Alkaloid remains atop the standings, tied on points but holding a better goal difference and head-to-head record against HC Vardar 1961.

The team now shifts its focus to the EHF European Cup. On Friday and Saturday, HC Alkaloid will host Austrian side West Wien at the Avtokomanda arena.

CHC OHRID – HC ALKALOID 22:29 (14:16)

Venue: Biljanini Izvori in Ohrid. Referees: Dimitar Mitrevski and Blagojche Todorovski. Controllers: Dragan Nachevski and Aco Nikolovski.

CHC OHRID: Chanevski, Ojleski 1, Matsuoka, Jukic 2, Shipinkoski, Taseski 4, Safranko 2, Jotic 1, Kukoski, Krstevski, Pesic 4, Kukulovski 1, Orjonikidze 2, Bojanic 1, Cirar 4, Gjorgjeski.

Seven-meter throws: 2/5. Suspensions: 4 min.

HC ALKALOID: Kizikj, Galevski, Djonov, Markoski, Mladenovikj 1, Serafimov 12, Karasmanakis, Stojkovikj 2, Mitev 5, Gjorgiev 1, Velkovski 1, Simonoski 1, Bingo 2, Francisco 2, Petkovski 1, Savrevski 1.

Seven-meter throws: 8/8. Suspensions: 8 min.

HC Alkaloid extended its undefeated run with an impressive victory in the challenging and traditionally tricky away game against CHC Ohrid in a packed Biljanini Izvori arena. Our team notched its 11th Super League win this season, maintaining a flawless record across 14 official matches since the start of the campaign.

The home team displayed a fighting spirit, but our squad was prepared for a game full of duels, battling for every ball right from the start. This intense play saw our team dictate the lead, although CHC Ohrid managed to equalize multiple times.

The goal-for-goal game became more manageable mid-half when HC Alkaloid took a two-goal lead (9-7, 10-8) and even stretched it to three goals at one point (12-9). The halftime score stood at 16-14 in our favor.

Martin Serafimov delivered a stellar performance, converting all his seven-meter throws and finishing with 12 goals. Marko Mitev excelled in breaking down CHC Ohrid’s defensive zone, orchestrating plays alongside Igor Gjorgiev from the central back position, and contributing five goals himself. Goalkeeper Ivan Galevski was instrumental in the second half, recording seven saves, including three crucial stops on seven-meter throws.

At the start of the second half, CHC Ohrid pushed hard with a high-intensity defense, trying to erase the deficit. However, HC Alkaloid successfully met this challenge, and after maintaining a 20-18 lead, as the home side failed to break our resistance, we took control of the game and shifted into a counter-offensive. A 4-0 series followed, extending the lead to 24-18. With a calm and controlled finish, they avoided any potential comeback from the home side, steering the game to its conclusion.

HC Alkaloid achieved a maximum nine-goal lead late in the match (29-20), with the final whistle confirming a 22-29 victory.

The next match for HC Alkaloid is again on the road. In the 12th round, we will face HC Vardar 1961 for the second time this season, this time at the Jane Sandanski arena.

HC ALKALOID – MHC KUMANOVO 40-25 (23-11)
Venue: Avtokomanda in Skopje. Referees: Silvana Karbeska and Marija Ilieva. Delegate: Zoran Kimovski

HC ALKALOID: Galevski, Trajkoski, Djonov, Mladenovikj 5, Serafimov, Karasmanakis 2, Stojkovikj 2, Mitev, Simonoski 5, Bingo 3, Francisco 8, Petkovski 9, Savrevski 6
Seven-meter throws: 2/3 Suspensions: 8 min

MHC KUMANOVO: Dimitrijevski, Dimevski 4, Vinisius 6, Dimitrov 3, Vujichevski, Cvetkovski, Jakimovski 1, Stojanovski, Cekovski 1, Krstanoski, Gamzardija 1, Simonoski 8, Mihajlovski
Seven-meter throws: 1/1 Suspensions: 4 min

HC Alkaloid claimed their tenth straight victory in the Super League tonight, defeating the team from Kumanovo at home and extending their streak of scoring over 30 goals in every match, a run that now spans 13 games since the season’s start.

With a slightly altered lineup, resting several players, the team saw strong individual performances from Francisco Silva, Aleksandar Petkovski, David Savrevski, Kristijan Simonoski, and Mihajlo Mladenovikj.

These players were instrumental in leading the team from a 4-1 advantage to an 11-3 lead, which then expanded to 14-6, 17-7, and a 23-11 halftime score.

The second half was more balanced, but Alkaloid maintained a double-digit lead, finishing with a 15-goal margin.

The team now heads into a short break for the national team’s

HC PROLET 62 – HC ALKALOID 26-39 (15-20)
Venue: Macedonsko Sonce in Skopje. Referees: Viktor Andonov and Stojanche Jovanovski. Delegate: Aco Nikolovski

HC PROLET 62: Trajkov, Totic 1, Gligorov 1, Dimkovski, Dodevski, Daskalovski, Shilegov 1, Andonovski 5, Bakar 4, Majnov 2, Stojanovski 7, Stojchevikj, Mladenovski, Jachev, Palevski 4, Spasovski 1
Seven-meter throws: 2/3 Suspensions: 10 min

HC ALKALOID: Kizikj 1, Trajkoski, Djonov 4, Markoski, Mladenovikj 1, Serafimov 6, Karasmanakis 2, Stojkovikj 1, Mitev 5, Velkovski 1, Simonoski 4, Bingo 5, Francisco 3, Petkovski 3, Savrevski 3
Seven-meter throws: 1/3 Suspensions: 4 min

Tonight, HC Alkaloid secured their ninth consecutive Super League victory this season, beating HC Prolet 62 away (39-26). This marks their 12th straight win in all official matches since the start of the season, scoring over 30 goals in each game.

HC Alkaloid entered the match as favorites and didn’t disappoint. Although HC Prolet 62 displayed fighting spirit, they couldn’t keep up with the tempo set by HC Alkaloid, remaining competitive only in the first ten minutes.

HC Alkaloid first took a comfortable lead after the tenth minute, pulling ahead 9-5. The home team briefly fought back to 8-11, but HC Alkaloid responded with another scoring run, extending the lead to 15-8. The remainder of the half saw balanced play, with HC Alkaloid heading into the break at 20-15.

The second half saw complete domination from HC Alkaloid, especially in the latter part. The lead, which hovered around five to six goals early in the half, grew as Alkaloid’s playstyle took effect, pushing the margin to ten goals at 35-25 before finishing with a 13-goal difference.

Martin Serafimov with six goals, and Marko Mitev and Arnaud Bingo with five scores each, were HC Alkaloid’s top scorers in this match.

Next up, HC Alkaloid will face MHC Kumanovo at home in the Avtokomanda arena on Friday, November 1, 2024.

HC Alkaloid achieved their objective, progressing to the third round of the EHF European Cup. Coach Kiril Lazarov and pivot Valentin Karasmanakis shared their thoughts after the away win (37-31) in Lithuania.

KIRIL LAZAROV: “It’s never easy to beat any opponent on their home court, especially in a European Cup match. We secured the victory in style; by the 22nd minute, we were up by nine goals. Then we eased up a bit, and struggled throughout the game. However, all of this is new for our players, and I understand—we need to learn from our mistakes. We defeated a quality team that runs hard for all 60 minutes; it’s not easy to prepare for that. This may be just the first European round, but I’m proud of what we achieved, especially given the demanding three-game week we’ve had.

Analyzing the opponent, our first match was more challenging. I could tell they were a quality team with a clear vision. The Spanish system brought structure over the past four or five months, and although some found it amusing when I mentioned caution, it proved necessary. We entered the game with discipline and managed to build a comfortable lead in Skopje, which let us rest a bit easier. We aimed to win the rematch as well, and it was easier for us to play here because we knew what to expect.

Now we move on to the third-round draw. We have our preferences, which would increase our chances, but regardless of who we draw, we won’t put any undue pressure on ourselves. Our focus is on progressing and keeping our system effective. We’re not going onto the court with a white flag, regardless of the opponent’s name or strength.”

VALENTIN KARASMANAKIS: “We played a tough match. We had our advantage from the first game, but we knew our opponent would give their all, especially with their home crowd behind them. We managed to get the job done and advance to the next phase. There were errors in this match, but I know we’ll correct them in the games to come. This match in Lithuania was tougher for us than the one in Skopje.”

HC DRAGUNAS KLAIPEDA – HC ALKALOID 31-37 (17-21)

Arena: SBV in Klaipeda, Lithuania. Referees: Alice Watson and Line Welin from Sweden. Delegate: Ventsil Kalev from Estonia

HC ALKALOID: Kizikj (3 saves), Galevski 1 (9 saves + 1 penalty), Petrov, Markoski, Mladenovikj 1, Serafimov 7, Karasmanakis, Stojkovikj 3, Mitev 6, Gjorgiev 3, Velkovski 1, Simonovski, Bingo 6, Silva 3, Petkovski 6, Savrevski

Seven-meter throws: 4/7 Suspensions: 8 minutes

HC Alkaloid achieved their objective, advancing to the third round of the EHF European Cup with a second win over HC Dragunas Klaipeda (37-31). From start to finish, our team commanded the game, claiming another victory in this two-leg series against Lithuania’s Dragunas and securing a place in the next stage.

Our team opened the match strong, with Bingo, Mitev, and Stojkovikj leading the charge, Alkaloid took a quick 6-2 lead just seven minutes in, soon extended by two more goals from Petkovski to reach an 8-2 advantage, prompting a timeout from the hosts. Goalkeeper Ivan Galevski was instrumental in this run, notching four crucial saves. As expected, the game then intensified, with the match picking up a rhythm similar to that seen in Avtokomanda, with thrilling moments of high-paced play and scores. After 15 minutes, Alkaloid held a 15-8 lead, at times stretching it to nine goals. Following a few errors on both sides, Alkaloid closed the first half 21-17.

In the second half, Dragunas Klaipeda’s goalkeeper stepped up, helping the home team to chip away at Alkaloid’s lead. Ten minutes in, Dragunas cut the gap to just two goals (25-27) during an offensive dry spell for Alkaloid. The offense clicked right when it was needed most, as HC Alkaloid scored three consecutive goals, pushing the lead to 25-30 and regaining a comfortable cushion. Our players kept their composure until the end, leaving no room for nerves and giving the opponent no chance for a comeback.