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HC ALKALOID – HC BUTEL SKOPJE 33-30 (16-13)

Venue: Avtokomanda in Skopje. Referees: Ismail Metalari and Nenad Nikolovski. Delegate: Ljupcho Janevski

HC ALKALOID: Kizikj, Djonov 4, Mladenovikj, Serafimov 11, Karasmanakis, Stojkovikj 1, Gjorgiev 1, Velkovski 2, Ivanovski 2, Bingo 4, Francisco 2, Petkovski 4, Mitev 2, Savrevski, Garbeski

Seven-meter throws: 8/10 Suspensions: 10 min

HC BUTEL SKOPJE: Stojanoski, Blazhevski, Subashevski 1, Todeski 5, Gjeorgievski 2, Nikolov 11, Novakoski, Spasovski 1, T. Uzunchev 1, D. Uzunchev, Milosheski, Kiselovski, Kaevski, Mihajlovikj 4, Solic 3, Davitkovski 1

Seven-meter throws: 1/2  Suspensions: 16 min.

HC Alkaloid earned their third playoff victory in the Macedonian Super League. With only one day’s rest after their EHF European Cup semi-final, they hosted HC Butel Skopje at the Avtokomanda arena and notched a 33-30 win, securing two more hard-fought points in line with expectations given their busy schedule.

Clashes between HC Alkaloid and HC Butel Skopje always carry extra weight and city derby spice, and tonight was no exception. The visitors showed plenty of fight and matched HC Alkaloid on the scoreboard at times, but HC Alkaloid dictated the play for the full 60 minutes, never trailing.

HC Alkaloid led from the outset, though Butel Skopje pegged them back to 9-9. HC Alkaloid then forged ahead 11-9, extended the lead to 12-9 and 13-10, and maintained that three-goal cushion through to halftime.

In the second half, HC Alkaloid opened up a 17-13 advantage, but Butel rallied to level at 17-17.

A goal-for-goal battle ensued until HC Alkaloid again went to three-goal lead at 23-20, and the margin oscillated between two and three goals thereafter.

Both sides had chances—Alkaloid to stretch it to plus four, Butel to cut it to minus one—but fine goalkeeping kept the scoreline in check. In the closing stages HC Alkaloid hit their biggest lead at 33-29, with Butel only able to reduce the deficit before the final whistle.

HC Alkaloid now turn their attention to a European showdown: on Sunday they travel to Norway, armed with a five-goal cushion, for the second leg of their EHF European Cup semi-final against Runar Sandefjord.