HC ALKALOID – HC MULTI ESSENCE 38-28 (16-11)

Venue: Avtokomanda in Skopje. Referees: Viktor Andonov and Gligor Kjaev. Delegate: Vladimir Sazdovski

HC ALKALOID: Galevski, Nikolovski 2 (9 saves), Þordarsson 1, Suholeznik, Stojkovikj 7, M. Mitev 5, Gjorgiev, Velkovski 3, Cehte, Nenad Kosteski 1, Petkovski 5, D. Mitev 9, Borzas 4, Gjorgovski 1, Borozan 1

Seven-meter throws: 4/5. Suspensions: 8 min.

HC MULTI ESSENCE: Velikikjeski (1 save), Jordanov (11 saves), J. Petreski, Djigeroski 4, Ilievski 1, Gjokeski 3, Trajkovski 1, M. Petreski 1, Gurmeshevikj 1, Matevski 2, Kovachevikj 1, Gjorgieski, Damchevski 6, Trajkoski, Garbeski 1, Tevdovski 1

Seven-meter throws: 6/9. Suspensions: 4 min.

HC Alkaloid opened their season with a win, taking down HC Multi Essence on home court to pick up their first championship points in round one. HC Multi Essence entered the season under a new coaching staff headed by Nikola Matlieski.

Both sides played at a high tempo, with HC Alkaloid edging ahead on the scoreboard. However, HC Multi Essence’s David Trajkoski, who netted six goals in the first half, was the game’s top scorer. After about ten minutes, HC Alkaloid led 5-2, and the gap steadily grew to five goals by halftime, 16-11.

Alkaloid then broke away with a 5-0 run to open up a 21-11 lead; from there, the game eased into a lower gear. Damchevski and Djigerovski did the heavy lifting for HC Multi Essence in attack, while Damjan Mitev and Aleksandar Petkovski carried the scoring load for the home side.

The final score was 38-28, with both teams leaving a strong impression on the night.

HC LOVCEN – HC ALKALOID 29-40 (18-18)

HC Lovcen scorers: Mrvaljevic 7, Petricevic 6, Popovic 5, Stanojevic 3, Andric 3, Vujovic 2, Andjelic 1, Stankovic 1, Martinovic 1

HC Alkaloid scorers: Djonov 8, M. Mitev 6, D. Mitev 5, Koteski 5, Borzas 4, Gjorgiev 4, Cehte 4, Stojkovikj 2, Petkovski 1, Gjorgovski 1

HC Alkaloid secured their second Regional League victory, returning from their first away match of the season in Montenegro with a convincing 40-29 win over Lovcen.

The match offered a different picture from the encounter between the same sides just three days earlier in Skopje. The tempo was lower, with fewer end-to-end exchanges, while a highly motivated Lovcen managed to stay in contention against the Macedonian side for much longer.

HC Alkaloid started strong and quickly opened a 4-1 lead, before establishing their biggest advantage of the match in the 15th minute at 13-8. The home side, however, refused to back down. HC Lovcen cut the deficit to just one goal at 13-14, before taking their first lead of the match in the 28th minute at 18-17. Alkaloid responded immediately, and the teams went into the break level at 18-18.

HC Lovcen opened the second half with a goal to move 19-18 ahead, but the momentum then shifted completely. Alkaloid produced a decisive 6-0 run over seven minutes to turn the game around and take a 24-19 lead.

The home side kept the deficit between four and six goals for a period, but Alkaloid stepped up the pace once again in the closing stages. They stretched their lead into double figures and wrapped up a convincing 40-29 victory.

Ivan Djonov led Alkaloid’s scoring with eight goals, while Marko Mitev added six, and Damjan Mitev and Nikola Koteski finished with five apiece.

HC ALKALOID – HC LOVCEN 54-37 (27-17)

HC Alkaloid scorers: Borzas 8, Cehte 7, Gjorgovski 7, Petkovski 7, Stojkovikj 6, Nikola Koteski 5, Nikolov 4, M. Mitev 4, Þordarsson 3, Djonov 2, Gjorgiev 1

HC Lovcen scorers: Mrvaljevic 7, Vujovic 6, Petricevic 5, Stankovic 4, Andjelic 4, Andric 3, Perisic 3, Lalicic 2, Knezevic 1, Cimljanovic 1, Martinovic 1

A strong attacking display and high conversion rate propelled HC Alkaloid to their first Regional League victory, as they produced an emphatic 54-37 win over Montenegrin side Lovcen at the Avtokomanda arena.

The blue-and-white side came flying out of the blocks, setting a high tempo and quickly taking control of the game. Cehte and Stojkovikj led the attack in the opening minutes, before Nikola Koteski and Uros Borzas joined the scoring, helping Alkaloid build a commanding 10-4 lead after just 10 minutes.

The hosts continued to stretch their advantage as the half progressed. HC Alkaloid reached double figures for the first time in the 23rd minute at 21-11, before heading into the break with a comfortable 27-17 lead.

The second half followed the same fast-paced pattern, with both sides playing an open game and creating plenty of running and quick attacks. Despite the sizeable deficit, neither team took their foot off the gas, maintaining the tempo and producing a high-scoring contest packed with goals.

Uros Borzas was HC Alkaloid’s top scorer with eight goals, while Cehte, Petkovski and Emilijan Gjorgovski finished with seven apiece.

The two teams will meet again in just three days, but this time the rematch will take place in Montenegro.

HC ALKALOID – HC PARTIZAN 31-39 (15-17)

Venue: Avtokomanda in Skopje

HC Alkaloid scorers: Nikola Koteski 6, Cehte 5, Stojkovikj 5, M. Mitev 4, Borzas 4, Borozan 2, Þordarsson 2, Gjorgiev 1, Djonov 1, Nikolov 1

HC Partizan scorers: Damjanovic 10, Lumbroso 8, Wagner 8, Migallon 5, Crnoglavac 4, Micic 2, Sotic 1, Andjelkovic 1

HC Alkaloid played its first match in the newly established Regional League, hosting HC Partizan from Belgrade in a second-round encounter at the Avtokomanda arena. The visitors came away with the points after a 39-31 victory, as HC Alkaloid’s poor finishing proved decisive.

The match got off to an evenly contested start. HC Alkaloid controlled the opening minutes, but several missed chances from promising positions allowed the visitors to take the lead. The biggest advantage in the first half was three goals (9-6), before HC Alkaloid fought back to 10-11, only to miss further opportunities to draw level.

Partizan went into the break with a 17-15 lead, while seven minutes into the second half, HC Alkaloid leveled the score at 21-21. However, the same problems that plagued the team in the opening half returned. After several missed attacks, the visitors regained the lead and this time did not relinquish it. In the final 10 minutes, HC Partizan pulled further clear, doubling their advantage and securing a more convincing victory.

Nikola Koteski led HC Alkaloid’s scoring with six goals, while Nejc Cehte and Marko Stojkovikj added five each. Head coach Kiril Lazarov used the match to rest several players, with Matic Suholeznik, Martin Velkovski, Valentin Karasmanakis and Aleksandar Petkovski watching from the stands. Mihail Alarov also did not see any action.

HC Alkaloid’s next match is scheduled for 28 August, when Montenegrin side HC Lovcen will visit the Avtokomanda arena for another Regional League fixture.

HC Alkaloid continues its hard work in Mavrovo as it prepares for the new season in Macedonian handball and on the international stage. With three new players joining the squad and adding further value to the team, the club will be aiming for the best possible results in Macedonia, while also seeking to further promote Macedonian handball beyond the country’s borders.

Captain Igor Gjorgiev will once again be part of the squad which, alongside its domestic commitments this season, will also compete in the EHF European Cup and the newly established Regional League.

“Personally, I feel great, and the team is full of positive energy. We are working hard. We spent two weeks training in Skopje, and now we are in Mavrovo. We will try to make the most of this period to get better coordinated as a team. We have three new players, all experienced and with plenty of matches under their belts, and they will certainly add value to the squad. Last season was a difficult one for us for several reasons, but that is behind us now, and with clear minds and positive energy, we are turning our focus to the challenges ahead. We need to learn from the past, and we are working hard to prepare for what lies ahead. The Macedonian league is becoming more competitive year after year, with quality teams, and everyone strengthening their squads, particularly the teams from the ‘big four’. An exciting season awaits us. We have a good team, we will compete on four fronts, and we will fight for results in every match right until the end,” said Gjorgiev.

During the preparations, pivot Marko Stojkovikj also shared his thoughts, with the experienced player set to play an important role in both defense and attack for HC Alkaloid.

“So far, preparations are going very well. We are all healthy, and that is the most important thing. We are preparing physically, tactically, and mentally so that we can have a successful season. We all have high ambitions and want to achieve good results on all fronts. Everyone at the club is ready to give their maximum. We followed a program during the off-season and arrived here well prepared, so the required work won’t be difficult. We have added three experienced players with plenty of matches behind them, while the rest of us know each other well, having been together for a long time. The chemistry is good, so we will be ready to take on the challenges ahead,” said Stojkovikj.

HC Alkaloid have now been in pre-season training for around ten days, and since the beginning of the week, the team has been based in Mavrovo for its altitude training camp, where ideal weather conditions are providing the perfect environment to build fitness, recharge and prepare for the challenges that lie ahead this season.

Alongside their campaigns in the Super League, the Macedonian Cup and the EHF European Cup, HC Alkaloid will also compete in the newly formed regional competition next season, bringing another demanding competition to the calendar and making thorough preparation even more important.

The first friendly matches are approaching, but the current priority remains physical conditioning. The encouraging news from the club is that the entire squad is fit and healthy, with every player training at full intensity from the opening day of pre-season.

That is particularly significant for those who struggled with injuries last season. One of them is Nikola Kosteski, who spent time on the sidelines but has now fully recovered and is training without any limitations.

“The most important thing is that I am back after a long absence. It was a serious injury, so I am delighted to have started pre-season healthy and ready to train. Above all, it is important that we all stay healthy and have the full squad available.

During the summer we followed a program to ensure we could begin preparations at the required intensity. We are working in a great atmosphere. Right now, our main focus is on physical conditioning and tactical preparation. Everyone is pleased; we have a very strong roster…

I know Borozan and Cehte very well, while Suholežnik is new to the team but has settled in quickly. We have been part of this project for a long time, and we all understand how it works. Everyone here is a professional and knows exactly what is expected of them.

We have excellent conditions here; the temperatures are ideal for training, the coaching staff has clearly defined the objectives for this phase of the preparations, and everyone is fully committed to doing their part,” said Nikola Kosteski.

Martin Velkovski is one of the more experienced players in HC Alkaloid and is well acquainted with the standards demanded by head coach Kiril Lazarov and what is expected from the team during this stage of preparations.

“First of all, I want to wish everyone good health and a successful preparation period. We began training intensively in Skopje before moving to Mavrovo. The arrival of several new players has brought fresh energy to the team, and the atmosphere is excellent. This season we have to be better than we were last year. We have strengthened the squad with quality additions; we have depth in every position, and now our job is simply to keep working hard, stay healthy, and make sure we start the season the right way.

The conditions here are outstanding in every respect. The accommodation is excellent, the weather is ideal, and we have everything we need to prepare properly for the season ahead,” said Martin Velkovski.