
Macedonian and former Euro champion Vardar beat Hungarian PIK Szeged in their first qualifying game of the European handball Championship League with 31 goals to 23.
The fans of Macedonia’s leading sports outfit were scared about the performance of the team after Russian businessman Sergey Samsonenko announced he is withdrawing from the team. Samsonenko faced significant political pressure from the criminal Government junta to leave the country despite major investment in the team which resulted in the 2017 Championship League trophy. Without his funding, it’s feared that little will remain of the award winning team. The Government junta had also cut broadcasting of HC Vardar’s matches at home to further deplete the team’s earnings from TV rights.
After the initial opening exchanges, Vardar steamrolled Szeged in with 4 goals in ten minutes. A few referee decisions put Szeged back into the game at the end of the first half, but Skube was stellar for the Macedonian team, along with Karacic and Kristopans.
Vardar fans were chanting for a win at the return game in Hungary, on May 5th, and their calls drew parallels with the second round of the presidential elections, scheduled for the same day. Many in Vardar hope that a reversal in political fortunes in Macedonia could allow for Samsonenko to remain in the country, however considering there is a coalition of sorts between DPNESDS, this is likely not going to happen.
Icing on the cake in last night match was of course Kristopans goal in the last second.